FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital that the case involving two Chinese nationals charged with smuggling a "dangerous biological pathogen" into the U.S. showed a serious national security threat to America’s food supply.

Patel said the case reminded Americans that the Chinese Communist Party continued sending operatives and researchers to infiltrate U.S. institutions and target the food system. He said this could damage the economy and risk American lives. He described the act of smuggling a known agroterrorism agent into the U.S. as not only illegal but also a direct national security threat. He praised the FBI Detroit Division and Customs and Border Protection for stopping the threat before it could cause real harm.

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan said that University of Michigan research fellow Yunqing Jian and her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, both citizens of the People’s Republic of China, faced charges. Prosecutors charged them with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the U.S., making false statements, and visa fraud. The FBI and CBP led the investigation.

The couple allegedly brought a fungus called Fusarium graminearum into the country. The Justice Department said scientific literature classified the fungus as a “potential agroterrorism weapon.” Prosecutors said the fungus causes head blight in wheat, barley, maize, and rice. They stated the fungus causes billions of dollars in economic damage worldwide each year.

The department also said toxins produced by the fungus could cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive defects in both humans and animals.

According to the complaint, Jian, 33, allegedly received Chinese government funding to work on the pathogen in China.

Prosecutors said Jian’s electronics contained files showing her membership in and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.

Liu, 34, allegedly worked at a Chinese university and conducted research on the same pathogen. According to the complaint, prosecutors said he initially lied but later admitted he brought the fungus into the U.S. through Detroit Metropolitan Airport. He reportedly planned to conduct research on the pathogen in the University of Michigan lab where Jian worked.

FBI agents arrested Jian based on the charges. She was expected to appear in federal court in Detroit on Tuesday afternoon. Authorities did not confirm whether Liu was taken into custody.

U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said the alleged actions of the two Chinese nationals, including one identified as a loyal CCP member, raised serious national security concerns. She said the pair allegedly smuggled a fungus described as a potential agroterrorism weapon into the U.S. heartland and intended to use a University of Michigan lab to advance their work.

CBP Director of Field Operations Marty Raybon said the charges highlighted CBP’s role in protecting the country from biological threats that could harm the agriculture sector and human health. He noted the case involved a university researcher trying to secretly bring hazardous biological material into the U.S.

Raybon said the investigation was complex and included CBP offices from across the U.S. working with other federal agencies. He thanked all partners for protecting national security and keeping the borders safe.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Jian remained listed as a post-doctoral research fellow on the University of Michigan website. Fox News Digital contacted the university for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

The Justice Department noted that felony charges in a complaint cannot lead to a trial unless a grand jury returns an indictment. Authorities would decide whether to seek an indictment after completing the investigation.

The charges came while the Trump administration moved against what it described as anti-American radicals on U.S. campuses. Officials particularly targeted foreign students who joined antisemitic or anti-Israel protests.

Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the government would “aggressively” revoke student visas for Chinese nationals. He said this would include those linked to the CCP or studying sensitive academic subjects.

The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also accused Harvard University of possibly collaborating with the CCP and other foreign adversaries.