SerpApi.Org
An illegal immigrant serving a lengthy prison sentence for murder has sued President Donald Trump and White House Deputy Press Secretary Steven Cheung. According to a handwritten pro se complaint filed before a Grand Rapids, Michigan district court, Brandon Ortiz-Vite has sought $75.5 million in damages. Additionally, he demanded a full public apology and permanent U.S. citizenship after the defendants allegedly used his murder case as a political talking point.
Based on court records, Ortiz-Vite was convicted to a prison sentence of 39 to 102 years after he murdered his girlfriend Ruby Garcia in 2024. The victim’s body was later found dumped along a Grand Rapids, Michigan road. Trump highlighted the case during his presidential campaign in 2024. He had even tagged Ortiz-Vite as an ‘American problem’.
Murder Convict Sues President Trump For Making Him A Laughing Stock
Ortiz-Vite alleged that President Trump , by labeling his case during a political campaign, caused him to be mocked inside prison. The convict further claimed that his mugshot was also displayed in political commercials as an example of murderers, r—— and drug traffickers illegally residing in the United States.
He remarked, “I was put into a category. Who I was as a person no longer mattered! What only mattered was my race, my case and immigration status. Once again, it belittled me, shattered my dignity and what I was as a person. The shame it brought to my family name is a reality I have to live with now. I took full responsibility for my actions, but for them to use my case for political gain on TV was unjust and humiliating. When I thought it couldn’t get worse, it did. I was center stage in front of a nation, public scrutiny at its finest!”
Lawsuit Against Trump Likely To Never Really Proceed
While Ortiz-Vite alleges embarrassment and becoming a national target, it appears his lawsuit against the president may not proceed further in court. Federal law requires courts to screen prisoner lawsuits before defendants are served notice. However, this complaint has already been made public, and it is unlikely to move forward.
Criminal law expert Matthew Borgula noted that the statements made by Trump were substantially true. He described Ortiz-Vite as an undocumented immigrant convicted of murder, which aligns with court orders. Additionally, Ortiz-Vite pleaded guilty, making claims of an unfair conviction unlikely to succeed.
Moreover, Borgula said, “Presidential immunity covers official acts, and campaign statements can fall outside it — but this suit fails for more basic reasons.”
The Murder Of Ruby Garcia
Ortiz-Vite killed his 25-year-old girlfriend, Ruby Garcia, during an argument. The victim died from multiple gunshot wounds before Ortiz-Vite fled in Garcia’s car. Her body was later discovered by authorities along U.S. 131. Soon after, Ortiz-Vite turned himself in and confessed to the crime.
In November 2024, Ortiz-Vite pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a prison time. In the meantime, his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status had expired in May 2019, and he was deported in 2020. Authorities later determined that Ortiz-Vite reentered the United States illegally.
