Louisiana AG sues Mayorkas over alleged mishandling of Chinese migrant with rare tuberculosis strain

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill on Tuesday sued Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), accusing them of mishandling an illegal Chinese national with a rare strain of tuberculosis. 

The unnamed migrant, referred to as "Patient 0," was first reported to Louisiana officials on Oct. 9, where it was disclosed the Chinese national had a rare, aggressive and drug-resistant form of the disease. The strain allegedly carries a high mortality rate.

Murrill's office said it was suing ICE and Mayorkas because the migrant, who came into the country illegally, came into contact with hundreds of detainees and non-detainees when they were transported through state facilities. It is also suing ICE to ensure every person exposed to the virus has been cleared of the disease by the state before they leave the area.

“The protection of our southern border is paramount to the security of the United States. It is neither political nor unreasonable that Louisiana has time and time again demanded that the Biden-Harris administration defend this nation," Murrill said in a statement. "Millions of undocumented illegal aliens continue to pour across the southern border – unidentified, untracked, and untested for diseases that can threaten the lives of American citizens. 

"The federal government has put the health and safety of Louisiana and American people at risk," she continued. "Despite this dereliction of duty by President [Joe] Biden, Vice President [Kamala] Harris, and Secretary Mayorkas, Louisiana officials acted immediately to protect our people.”  

Murrill said her office, along with Louisiana's Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, Surgeon General Ralph Abraham, and the state Department of Health have taken immediate action to contain a potential spread of the virus. 

A federal judge has approved the temporary restraining order to keep the Chinese national detained. The patient is asymptomatic, according to WDSU, but is still taking medication.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.