Sunday, August 31, 2025

Senator Pérez Condemns Detention of Pasadena Resident Rami Othmane Following His Release, Calls for Immigration Reform

Sasha Renée Pérez [File photo]

California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) issued a sharp rebuke of federal immigration authorities following the release of Pasadena resident Rami Othmane, who was detained for nearly two weeks in downtown Los Angeles.

Othmane, a classical Arabic musician and longtime U.S. resident originally from Tunisia, was apprehended by masked ICE agents on July 13 while driving to a grocery store in Pasadena. His wife, Dr. Wafaa Alrashid — Chief Medical Officer at Huntington Hospital — purportedly witnessed the arrest via FaceTime.

Othmane was held for 13 days in a federal detention facility, where he was reportedly denied basic hygiene and provided only snacks instead of full meals. He was released on August 7 but remains under surveillance with an ankle monitor.

“This President and the federal administration have no human compassion,” Pérez said in a statement. “Mr. Othmane has no criminal record and is a valuable member of our community. The indiscriminate and violent immigration enforcement is cruel and misguided.”

Media reports indicate Othmane has lived in the United States since 2015, having overstayed a tourist visa. He and Dr. Alrashid, who married in March 2024, filed an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative in June 2024 as part of his application for permanent residency. His deportation order was previously dismissed in 2020, according to the reports.

Senator Pérez emphasized the need for comprehensive immigration reform, stating, “We are a nation of immigrants. The federal government should be working together to pass sensible immigration reform that would allow our good neighbors to openly contribute to our nation’s prosperity and wellbeing.”