Louisiana's top legal officer has taken significant legal action against the current U.S. administration over a public health issue linked to tuberculosis.
The New York Post reported that Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has filed an emergency lawsuit to halt the release of detainees potentially exposed to a rare form of tuberculosis.
Last week, Liz Murrill, the Republican Attorney General of Louisiana, launched a legal battle against officials from the Harris-Biden administration.
This lawsuit specifically aims to prevent the release of detainees who had been in contact with a Chinese national diagnosed with a dangerous and drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis.
The Chinese migrant in question illegally crossed into the United States via the US-Mexico border in April and was detained in California in July.
Following his apprehension, the migrant was diagnosed with tuberculosis after testing highly positive on July 23 at the Richwood Correction Center in Monroe, Louisiana.
Despite the initial positive test, the migrant was transferred to the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile and placed in the general population of detainees, further escalating the risk of spreading the disease.
In September, further tests confirmed the migrant had pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, leading to his hospitalization.
It was not until October 9, however, that Louisiana officials were informed of the potential public health crisis.
The state’s response was swift. Attorney General Murrill filed a lawsuit on October 16, which was later unsealed, naming several federal officials as defendants, including DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and CDC Director Mandy Cohen.
The legal complaint argues that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) planned to release detainees from two contracted facilities in Louisiana without medical clearance from the state’s health department. This planned action was set to proceed even if a court order required the release of these individuals.
Murrill's lawsuit claims that the federal government’s approach is a violation of both state and federal regulations which mandate that detainees be medically cleared by the Louisiana Department of Health due to the potential public health threat.
"This is utterly wrong," Murrill stated emphatically, criticizing the federal government's intended actions.
She argued that maintaining the health and safety of detainees until they could be medically cleared is not only a right but an obligation of the state.
Murrill also emphasized the broader implications of border security on public health, stating, "The protection of our southern border is paramount to the security of the United States," highlighting ongoing concerns about unchecked and undocumented migration.
A U.S. district court judge in Louisiana is set to hear arguments on October 31 regarding whether migrants who have been potentially exposed to tuberculosis can be released from ICE custody before obtaining medical clearance.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for both immigration policy and public health protocols in the United States.
