The Louisiana AG is suing the Biden administrator after a Chinese migrant entered the US with “rare, aggressive and drug-resistant” tuberculosis

Louisiana's Republican Attorney General Liz Murrill filed an “emergency lawsuit” last week against several Harris-Biden administration officials after a Chinese migrant with a rare form of tuberculosis illegally entered the United States.

The lawsuit aims to prevent federal immigration authorities from releasing “potentially infected detainees” who came into contact during their stay with the Chinese national, who suffers from a “rare, aggressive and drug-resistant form of tuberculosis with a high mortality rate.” the supervision of immigration and customs control.

“ICE has announced its intention to release potentially infected detainees from its two contract facilities [in Louisiana] – without medical clearance from the Louisiana Department of Health – when an order requires a release,” the complaint states.

“According to ICE, its hands are tied once its immigration-based detention authority expires,” the lawsuit continues, warning that migrants who may have contracted the disease “are on Louisiana’s streets, its bus stations, and.” its airports”.

“That’s completely wrong,” Murrill argues. “The Surgeon General’s Rules require that detainees be held at the two facilities in question until they are medically cleared by the Louisiana Department of Health.”

“This is an essential exercise of the state's sovereign prerogatives, the exercise of its police powers and its obligation to protect public health within its borders,” she adds, pointing out that the two facilities where the infected migrant was held , are not owned by EIS.

Murrill estimates that over 200 detainees and “untold numbers of non-detainees” may have been exposed to the disease as the tuberculosis-infected migrant flew on ICE from California to Louisiana and then shuttled between a detention center and a processing facility.

The Chinese migrant — a woman whose name is redacted in the lawsuit — crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in April and was arrested by federal authorities in California in July, according to the complaint.

“At least some of the 40 or so prisoners who arrived [Richwood Correction Center in Monroe, La.] with [her] have since been deported, transferred, relocated or released,” the lawsuit states.

Upon arrival in Richwood, the woman underwent a tuberculosis skin test, which came back “very positive” on July 23.

A chest X-ray also showed signs of “active tuberculosis,” according to the complaint.

Although ICE appeared to be suffering from the contagious disease, “three days later…” they moved [her] to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center (“the Basile Facility”) in Basile, Louisiana,” where she was placed into the “general population”—potentially exposing even more people to the pathogen.

“There were approximately 174 inmates in the Basile facility who may have been at risk [the woman]of which approximately 60 were deported, transferred, relocated or released from the Basile facility,” the lawsuit states.

The woman tested positive again at the Basile facility in September and was hospitalized for “extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.” According to Murrill, it is “highly resistant to first- and second-line tuberculosis drugs, difficult to treat, and…” has a high mortality rate [between 34%-39%].”

Louisiana only learned of the “imminent public health threat” on October 9th.

The attorney general's lawsuit, filed Oct. 16 and unsealed Tuesday, names Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ICE acting director Patrick Lechleitner, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Mandy Cohen, and several others as called defendant.

A U.S. District Court judge in Louisiana will hear arguments in the state's attempt to hold migrants in ICE custody at the Richwood and Basile facility until they can be medically cleared on Oct. 31.

“Protecting our southern border is paramount to the security of the United States,” Murrill said in a statement. “It is neither political nor unreasonable that Louisiana has consistently demanded that the Biden-Harris administration defend this nation.”

“If you’re not legally there, you shouldn’t be in the country – period,” she added. “Millions of illegal, undocumented immigrants continue to stream across the southern border – unidentified, untraceable and untested for diseases that can threaten the lives of American citizens.”

“The federal government has endangered the health and safety of Louisiana and the American people. Despite this dereliction of duty by President Biden, Vice President Harris and Secretary Mayorkas, Louisiana officials took immediate action to protect our people.”