Los Angeles Times: ‘I am not the same person.’ Pasadena man recounts 13 days in ICE’s ‘basement’

Los Angeles, September 11, 2025

Rami Othmane was driving to the supermarket to pick up ingredients to make dinner when he noticed a car following closely behind… He was brought to the downtown Los Angeles ICE facility known as B-18, or “the basement,” a temporary immigration processing center. According to the Pasadena-based Barcena Law Offices, “this is where people go to be detained for less than 12 hours ... [and] are either released or deported.” But Othmane’s stay was many times longer than that. The Pasadena resident said he waited 12 hours just to be processed into the facility…

As Othmane’s transfer was underway, ICE was preparing for a scheduled tour of the facility. U.S. Reps. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks), Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) and Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) visited B-18 on Aug. 11, days after Othmane was moved.

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