Louisiana sues the Biden-Harris administration over a rare strain of deadly tuberculosis that was brought into the state by an infected illegal immigrant
The lawsuit names as defendants the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the detention centers that housed the immigrant. It demands that ICE implement strict medical certification standards.
Migrants crossing the Rio Grande
The state of Louisiana filed a lawsuit against the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Alejandro Mayorkas, accusing him of negligence for allowing an illegal immigrant from China into the country who is infected with a resistant and deadly form of tuberculosis (TB). The lawsuit alleges that this decision has jeopardized public health in the state by exposing hundreds of people to an aggressive, drug-resistant variant of TB.
ICE must implement strict medical certification standards
The lawsuit, filed by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, also names as defendants the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the detention centers that housed the immigrant. According to the document filed with the court, the immigrant was detained in several ICE facilities that did not confirm that he was no longer contagious before being transported along with other detainees.
Murrill is demanding that ICE implement strict medical clearance standards and ensure that all detainees who are released have a health clearance that ensures they do not pose a risk to the public. ICE's lack of assurances, according to the lawsuit, is what prompted the state to take legal action.
Emergency in Louisiana
According to the court document, the Chinese immigrant illegally crossed the border from Mexico and was detained in California in July but federal authorities transferred him to Louisiana. The migrant was transported with 100 other detainees to Alexandria, then bused along with 40 other detainees to Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, where he was eventually diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry tried to calm the public, stating at a press conference that "at this time, we have no indication that the public is in danger." However, the diagnosis and severity of the disease have raised concerns.
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