A Peruvian illegal immigrant held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Anchorage Correctional Complex in June appears to have survived a potentially deadly tuberculosis infection thanks to medical intervention — treatment that was provided at taxpayer expense.
The man was in a group of 41 detainees who were temporarily housed in Anchorage as part of a contract that the State of Alaska has to house ICE prisoners to ease overcrowding in ICE facilities.
While the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska and mainstream media outlets were quick to allege unsafe conditions, denial of medical care, and exposure risks at the state-run facility, the latest available information suggest a more complex reality.
The man, who arrived in Anchorage on June 8 as part of a group of roughly 40 ICE detainees transferred from the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Wash., was returned to Tacoma on June 30. He had been tested and, once in Tacoma hospitalized with a confirmed case of tuberculosis, prompting alarm from his attorney, the ACLU, and various immigrant advocacy groups.
But here’s what’s increasingly clear: The man got screening in Anchorage that may have flagged early symptoms. That test prevented him from spreading TB to the community. He and the others were housed in a separate area of the correctional center, and there was no risk of TB spreading to the general prison population.
According to the Alaska Department of Corrections, every detainee was screened by medical staff upon arrival, and one individual (later hospitalized) underwent further testing when he began showing symptoms. His subsequent test came back negative. He did not contract TB during his brief stay in Alaska.
Even so, the ACLU maintained that two individuals tested positive for latent TB, and that the detainees were informed of their exposure after returning to Washington. The medical doctor at DOC had notified ICE in Washington that none of the people had active TB results.
The ACLU made the accusations as though there was some terrible conspiracy, complaining that the man’s attorney was not able to meet with him, which was likely due to the active TB management. TB is a highly infectious disease.
Strangely, that lawyer had already testified to House Judiciary Committee that he had more access to his client while he was in Alaska DOC custody than when the man was in Tacoma.
The ACLU of Alaska argues that there was a denial and it violated constitutional protections. Yet the ACLU of Washington State has not appeared to have taken up the case. In fact, nothing appears on the ACLU Washington website.
What’s not in question is that the man received care thanks to a system that may not be perfect, but functioned better than leftist critics and their media allies have characterized.
Illegal Aliens should not have access to our courts, social programs, banks and any state or local government licensing of any sort, and that is just for starters.
Ellis Island screened potential immigrants for ability to work, potential of becoming a public burden, diseases like TB, and the possibility of being a subversive element.
Since the immigration act of 1965 all of those requirements are considered “outdated” and “racist”
Coincidentally, the people that wrote the immigration act of 1965 also believe in the kalergi plan, which they say doesn’t exist.
Curious
Excellent story. Excellent reporting. Thank You Suzanne Downing.
This is what happens when we let 3rd world people in our country! Why do you think there have been all the measles outbreaks. Most certainly kids entering our schools. Amazing we have to have shots to go to foreign countries and anyone legally coming into America has to have them but let’s let millions come in with no covid or any other test.
While I agree with you that illegal aliens bring in diseases we have not seen in a long time like leprosy, this country has always had measles outbreaks (mostly in places where parents elect not to vaccinate their children). The CDC has great data on that.
TB is very prevalent in Alaska, and there are many with latent TB (Being exposed but not developing active disease). However the incubation period for TB can range from several weeks to up to 2 years after exposure, so we really have no way of knowing when he was exposed. The only way to prevent an outbreak is quarantine. The staff at the facility acted properly in my opinion. I suppose the ACLU AK needs to keep stoking the fervor here in the state to keep donations coming…..
If he had immigrated the legal way, he would have been required to take an immigration physical test n his home country that would have identified he had Tab and he would have been denied an
Immigration visa until he tested clear.there is no comment on how he endangered an unknown number of US citizens by exposing the to a highly contagious disease and the resulting cost burden he placed on citizens as they have to get treatment but it’s clear the ACLU think non citizens have more rights than citizens
Today’s ADN quotes a woman who was sent by ICE to Tacoma; she says the Tacoma holding center is much better then ANC or Alaska, where they wait in jail.
The Tacoma facility is a holding facility, more comfortable then jail and people have much better communication w/ their families from there.
The woman snuck into the US, was tossed & snuck in again 22 years ago.
She is a cleaner for a large cleaning service & her kids were raised in ANC.
Well how about that! Someone was treated, probably cured, and prevented others from contracting the disease by the application of drugs, tests, and protocols developed – wait for it – by the same scientific establishment that creates and promotes vaccination. It’s a miracle!
Another reason why the illegals are biological time bomb in vacation.