Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) led a letter signed by eight other members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers regarding the immigration status of a 23-year old illegal alien who allegedly followed a woman into a bathroom at the Nashville Sundae Club and groped her
In the letter to Mayorkas, Blackburn and her colleagues cited reporting by WSMV that the illegal alien, Nelson Yovani Ortiz-Ramirez, was charged with attempted kidnapping, sexual battery, public intoxication, and evading arrest after he followed a woman into a bathroom at the Nashville Sundae Club and groped her.
The woman, according to an affidavit obtained by WSMV, said she was afraid Ortiz-Ramirez would “try to lock them both in the bathroom and rape her.”
Ortiz-Ramirez is currently on a detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In the letter to Mayorkas, Blackburn and her colleagues said, “This despicable incident would never have happened without your reckless and irresponsible open border policies.”
“Sadly, this incident is only the latest in a series of unconscionable acts by illegal immigrants who have entered our country,” the lawmakers added.
The lawmakers went on to point out the case of the 63-year old illegal alien in Franklin who allegedly raped several boys over a period of years while he was a soccer coach as well as the Georgia case of Laken Riley, the 22-year-old nursing student who was allegedly killed at the hands of an illegal Venezuelan immigrant while on a jog near campus.
“If you or this administration actually enforced our immigration laws, these heinous acts would never have taken place,” the lawmakers said.
The lawmakers went on to demand that Mayorkas provide answers to the following question by Thursday, May 30:
1. Was the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aware that Ortiz-Ramirez was in the country
illegally?
a. If so, when did the Department become aware of his immigration status?
b. If so, please provide all documentation in the Department’s possession, custody, or control related to Ortiz-Ramirez, his criminal record, and/or his immigration status.
c. If not, why was the Department unaware of his immigration status?2. Was Ortiz-Ramirez provided a Notice to Appear when he entered the country illegally?
a. If so, when was his court date and did he appear?
b. If not, why not?3. Did the Department initiate any enforcement actions against Ortiz-Ramirez?
a. In responding to this question, please provide all documentation in the Department’s possession, custody, or control related to any legal proceedings or enforcement actions—or decisions not to bring enforcement actions—against Ortiz-Ramirez.
Blackburn’s letter was cosigned by U.S. Representatives Tim Burchett (R-TN-02), Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04), Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03), Mark Green (R-TN-07), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01), David Kustoff (R-TN-08), Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), and John Rose (R-TN-06).
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Senator Marsha Blackburn” by Sen. Marsha Blackburn and “DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas” by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
