A Tunisian musician was detained in LA after living in US for a decade. His doctor wife speaks out
Share this @internewscast.com


LOS ANGELES (AP) Dr. Wafaa Alrashid noticed fewer of her patients were showing up for their appointments at the Los Angeles area hospital where she works as immigration raids spread fear among the Latino population she serves.

The Utah-born chief medical officer at Huntington Hospital understood their fear on a personal level. Her husband Rami Othmane, a Tunisian singer and classical musician, began carrying a receipt of his pending green card application around with him.

Over the past few months, immigration agents have arrested hundreds of people in Southern California, prompting protests against the federal raids and the subsequent deployment of the National Guard and Marines. Despite living in the U.S. for a decade as one of thousands of residents married to U.S. citizens, he was swept up in the crackdown.

On July 13, Othmane was stopped while driving to a grocery store in Pasadena. He quickly pulled out his paperwork to show federal immigration agents.

“They didn’t care, they said, ‘Please step out of the car,’” Alrashid recalled hearing the officers say as she watched her husband’s arrest in horror over FaceTime.

Alrashid immediately jumped in her car and followed her phone to his location. She arrived just in time to see the outline of his head in the back of a vehicle driving away.

“That was probably the worst day of my life,” she said.

The Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration has ensnared not only immigrants without legal status but legal permanent residents like Othmane who has green cards. Some U.S. citizens have even been arrested. Meanwhile, many asylum-seekers who have regular check-in appointments are being arrested in the hallways outside courtrooms as the White House works toward its promise of mass deportations.

Alrashid said her husband has been in the U.S. since 2015 and overstayed his visa, but his deportation order was dismissed in 2020. They wed in March 2025 and immediately filed for a green card.

After his arrest, he was taken to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in downtown Los Angeles where he was held in a freezing cold room with “no beds, no pillows, no blankets, no soap, no toothbrushes and toothpaste, and when you’re in a room with people, the bathroom’s open,” she said.

The Department of Homeland Security in an emailed statement noted the expiration of his tourist visa but did not address the dismissal of the deportation order in 2020 nor his pending green card application.

The agency denied any allegations of mistreatment, and said “ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE.”

Alrashid said for years her husband has performed classical Arabic music across Southern California. They first met when he was singing at a restaurant.

“He’s the kindest person,” Alrashid said, adding that he gave a sweater she brought him to a fellow detainee and to give others privacy, he built a makeshift barrier around the open toilet using trash bags.

“He’s brought a lot to the community, a lot of people love his music,” she said.

More than a week after his arrest, fellow musicians, immigration advocates and activists joined Alrashid in a rally outside the facility.

A few of his colleagues performed classical Arabic music, drumming loud enough that they hoped the detainees inside could hear them. Los Jornaleros del Norte musicians, who often play Spanish-language music at rallies, also were there.

“In Latin American culture, the serenade to bring music to people is an act of love and kindness. But in this moment, bringing music to people who are in captivity is also an act of resistance,” said Pablo Alvarado, co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

Leading up to the rally, Alrashid was worried because she hadn’t received her daily call from her husband and was told she couldn’t visit him that day at the detention facility. She finally heard from him that evening.

Othmane told her over the phone he was now at an immigration detention facility in Arizona, and that his left leg was swollen.

“They should ultrasound your leg, don’t take a risk,” she said.

Alrashid hopes to get her husband out on bail while his case is being processed. They had a procedural hearing on Thursday where the judge verified his immigration status, and have a bail bond hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

Until then, she’ll continue waiting for his next phone call.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Discover the Historic Bonaventure Cemetery on a Night Tour

Get ready for a spine-tingling experience in Savannah, Ga., as Bonaventure Cemetery…

“Tragic Loss of Harlem Middle School Student Highlights Urgent Need for Bullying Prevention”

EVANS, Ga. ()- October marks National Bullying Prevention Month, highlighting the urgent…

Reporter Sent to Hospital Following Incident with ICE in New York City

Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. For the best experience, please…

Israeli Navy Stops Nine Vessels from Gaza-Bound Aid Flotilla

The Israeli navy intercepted a flotilla heading towards Gaza on Wednesday, as…

Arrest Warrant Issued for Actor Tyrese Gibson

Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. For the best experience, please…

Retailers Begin to Experience Impact of Penny Shortage

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — For some outlets of a certain convenience store…

Medina takes charge in resurrecting alma mater after Purple Riders’ season was almost canceled

ARCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) — If you told Arcola administrators back in the…

U.K. Authorities Label Manchester Synagogue Attack as a ‘Terrorist Incident’

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site…

Missouri Mother Allegedly Kills 16-Year-Old Son While He Slept: Police Report

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – A St. Charles woman is in custody for…

Duo Allegedly Involved in Trafficking Women at New York City Sex Den

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site…

Why hasn’t D4vd faced any charges?

Investigators are set to examine more evidence after a teenager’s body was…

October Heatwave: Midwest on Track to Shatter Numerous Records with 90-Degree Temperatures

The fall vibes are on hold across much of the Midwest this…