Judy Chu, U.S. Congresswoman representing California’s 28th district since 2009, shared updates on September 12, 2025, regarding the release of her constituent Rami Othmane, a Tunisian green-card applicant who had been detained while battling a brain tumor.
Chu stated in a post that she was relieved about Othmane’s release but highlighted concerns about his treatment during detention. She wrote, “I’m relieved my constituent Rami Othmane, a Tunisian green-card applicant battling a brain tumor, has finally been released, but we cannot ignore his wrongful detention and the inhumane conditions he experienced. This @latimes piece exposes the horrific conditions that Rami and https://t.co/skw0XD1i9f https://t.co/9L8n7sHYXR” (September 12, 2025).
In another post on the same day, Chu described her visit to the facility where Othmane was held. She noted discrepancies between official accounts and detainee experiences: “When I toured this facility with my colleagues in Congress, ICE officials tried to assure us that conditions were good. But Rami’s firsthand account tells a different story: sleeping on concrete floors, little food, no medical care. Even Rami’s ICE caseworker didn’t understand” (September 12, 2025).
Chu also expressed gratitude for Othmane’s return home: “I advocated continuously for his release, and I’m grateful he is finally home with his wife, the chief of medical staff at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.” (September 12, 2025).
Judy Chu has served as the representative for California’s 28th District since succeeding Hilda Solis in 2009 and previously served in the California State Assembly from 2001 to 2006. Born in Los Angeles in 1953 and currently residing in Monterey Park, Chu graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974.
