WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after sending a letter with U.S. Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake as well as Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, urging Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), Jeh Johnson and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Sarah Saldaña not to release an illegal immigrant with drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) into the Pinal County Community:
Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after sending a letter with U.S. Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake as well as Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, urging Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), Jeh Johnson and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Sarah Saldaña not to release an illegal immigrant with drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) into the Pinal County Community:
“I was alarmed when I was forwarded a letter written by Pinal County Director of Public Health Thomas Schryer indicating that the ICE Detention facility in Florence is planning on releasing an illegal immigrant with drug resistant tuberculosis into the Pinal County Community in the next couple days. I demand ICE and DHS rethink this awful decision and not release this dangerous individual. Such actions put our citizens at risk and will impose significant financial burdens on the County.
“This illegal immigrant should remain in ICE’s custody or be immediately deported. There is no logical or legal justification for releasing this illegal into our communities and exposing our citizenry to a contagious and potentially lethal disease. If this irrational decision is being considered as result of one of President Obama’s amnesty orders, then this administration owns any deaths or illnesses, and all costs associated with releasing this disease-stricken individual.”
Background:
This week, Pinal County Director of Public Health Thomas Schryer was notified that ICE was expected to release an illegal immigrant with drug resistant tuberculosis into the Pinal County Community. To read Director Schryer’s full letter raising concern about these potential actions click HERE.
To read the full letter from Rep. Gosar, Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake, and Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick click HERE.
The illegal of concern has reportedly has been receiving treatment and been detained in the Florence facility for the last 7 months.
Director Schryer indicated in his letter that, “this is the first case where we have had an undocumented immigrant with active TB released to our community so clearly this is a change in policy that has a very real impact to our County…Each year we have approximately 35 cases of active TB that go through the ICE facility and until now they are routinely treated and deported.
Director Schryer also raised concerns about the potential costs of this action to the county stating, “when the ICE facility releases this individual he will be treated at the local tax payers’ expense. We anticipate that this case will require housing and medical care for 18 to 24 months and will likely have a $200,000 impact to the County.”
