The plasma donation industry along the U.S.-Mexico border has been a source of both economic opportunity and ethical concern. For years, companies like Grifols operated collection centers near the border, paying Mexican citizens with visitor visas to donate plasma. This practice provided income for donors and a steady supply of plasma for pharmaceutical companies. However, in June 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that Mexican citizens could no longer enter the U.S. on temporary visas to sell plasma, considering it "labor for hire."

This decision significantly disrupted the plasma supply chain and cut off an important source of income for many Mexican donors. In response, plasma companies filed lawsuits challenging the ban, arguing that the reduction in Mexican donors contributed to a worldwide plasma shortage and negatively impacted patient care. The importance of these donations was substantial, with Grifols reporting that its Texas centers collected over 600,000 liters of plasma annually from approximately 30,000 Mexican donors.

In September 2022, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, temporarily allowing Mexican citizens with visitor visas to resume plasma donations in the U.S. However, this injunction is not permanent, and the long-term status of cross-border plasma donations remains uncertain. The case raises several ethical and practical questions, including the ethics of paying economically disadvantaged individuals for plasma donations, the impact on global plasma supply and patient care, the economic effects on border communities, and the appropriate regulation of cross-border medical donations. This situation underscores the complex interplay between immigration policy, public health, and the global pharmaceutical industry.