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Ricardo Ortiz, Beloved GU Advocate, Mentor, Professor, Dies at 63 Nora Toscano Executive Editor

Ricardo Ortiz, an English and American Studies professor who taught at Georgetown University for more than 25 years and expanded the humanities, Latine and queer studies departments, died Aug. 18 in Washington, D.C. He was 63. Ortiz began teaching at Georgetown in 1998 and served as the chair of the English department from 2015 to 2021 and inaugural director of the Master of Arts Program in Engaged and Public Humanities beginning in 2022. He is remembered throughout Georgetown as an advocate for marginalized communities, a dedicated and kind friend and a champion of expanding the humanities. Faculty and students characterized Ortiz as a funny and joyful person who prioritized his students above all else and inspired every part of Georgetown. Paul O’Neill, Ortiz’s partner of four years to whom he was engaged, attributed Ortiz’s love for education to the transformative power reading and writing had on his life. He said Ortiz’s upbringing in Los Angeles as an immigrant in a working class family who learned English as his second language influenced his teaching. “Something to remember about Ricardo was that he was never more himself than when he was in the classroom teaching students,” O’Neill

told The Hoya. “And the reason that mattered so much to him was that he saw in students his 18-yearold self, and he wanted them to experience the flourishing that he experienced as an undergraduate.” “He was also especially attentive to those kids who didn’t come into the classroom with an advantage — kids who were immigrants, kids of color and kids who were queer — and he wanted to make sure that their experience in his classroom was an equalizing experience,” O’Neill added. O’Neill said Ortiz’s cause of death was a heart attack. Advocate for Underrepresented Communities Born Sept. 23, 1961, in Cuba, Ortiz moved to Los Angeles with his parents in 1966 before receiving his undergraduate degree in English and economics from Stanford University in 1983. He then earned a master’s and doctoral degree in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1987 and 1992, respectively. He taught at San Jose State University and Dartmouth College before joining Georgetown’s faculty. Many of Ortiz’s former students and colleagues emphasized the important role he played in shaping their careers and academic paths, which they say is a testament to Ortiz’s dedication to his students.

HAAN JUN (RYAN) LEE/THE HOYA

Georgetown University students expressed anxiety following the federalization of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the increased presence of law enforcement officials across the District as they return to campus for the new academic year.

DC Police Takeover Worries GU Students Nico Abreu and Ruth Abramovitz

Events Desk Editor and Senior News Editor

Georgetown University students expressed fear and frustration over an increased police presence in Washington, D.C., and on campus See ORTIZ, A7 as they returned to the District for the academic year. Citing a crime emergency in D.C., President Donald Trump deployed 850 federal agents and federalized D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Aug. 11. A total of 2,200 National Guard troops have also been deployed in the city, including 900 members of the District of Columbia National Guard and troops from various states. William Mead-McCaughan (CAS ’27), a Georgetown student who grew up in the District, said Trump’s characterization of the area as dangerous and crime-ridden does not accurately represent residents’ experience of the city. “People who I know who’ve grown up all around the city — it’s their home, and it’s not somewhere that they think of as this awful place,” Mead-McCaughan told The Hoya. Federal agents first appeared to be present on the Georgetown University main campus Aug. 13, when federal agents were also seen throughout the Georgetown neighborhood. According to photos obtained and reviewed by The Hoya, at least six federal agents were seen walking on the north COURTESY OF PAUL O’NEILL end of campus. Federal agents also appeared Ricardo Ortiz, professor of English and American studies, was to be on campus Aug. 27, the known for his dedication to fostering an inclusive campus. university’s first day of classes,

according to a video obtained and reviewed by The Hoya. The video and descriptions of the sighting suggest four uniformed agents drove south on Tondorf Road in an unmarked white car around 7 p.m. In both cases, it remains unclear why federal agents were on campus and whether they were on duty. While Georgetown is a privately held property, areas of campus — such as Healy Lawn, Red Square and some non-residential buildings — are open for public access. Federal law enforcement officers may access the parts of campus open to the public, but may not enter private areas without a judicial search warrant. The university’s Office of General Counsel offers guidelines for faculty and staff interacting with law enforcement officers. Darius Wagner (CAS ’27), who saw the agents Aug. 27, said he was worried students may not know when federal law enforcement is on campus. “I am acutely concerned about this because of how easy they were to miss,” Wagner told The Hoya. “The only reason I saw them was because I was crossing the street, and I had to look at the car as it passed me.” Wagner — who is also the vice president of the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA), Georgetown’s student government — said federal agents’ presence is an intimidation tactic from the Trump administration. “It just really pissed me off,” Wagner said. “This is nothing but sheer intimidation — trying to scare students who exist on a college campus that values diversity, that criticizes the government, things that he doesn’t like.”

Until last month, MPD cooperation with federal immigration officers was largely barred by a 2020 D.C. law. On Aug. 14, MPD Chief Pamela Smith signed an executive order allowing D.C. police to share information on people not in custody with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a federal agency responsible for carrying out immigration policy, as well as aid federal agencies with the transportation of detainees. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bower also issued an executive order Sept. 2 requiring local law enforcement to indefinitely cooperate with federal agents to the highest extent allowed under D.C. law. But D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued the Trump administration Sept. 4 over its deployment of the National Guard, describing it as an illegal “military occupation” that threatened the District. Ian Crowley (CAS ’28) said he believes federal law enforcement on campus places international, immigrant and undocumented students at higher risk than other students. “I am definitely scared and concerned on behalf of some my peers who may not be in that position of privilege that I am, and who may not feel as comfortable even sharing their experiences or sharing how they’re feeling in this time because of their documentation status, because of the color of their skin or because of a myriad of other factors,” Crowley told The Hoya. Ignacio Loaiza (CAS, McCourt ’28) said federal agents’ presence concerns

him as he believes it targets people who are also of Latino descent. “Having family from Mexico makes the situation feel very personal,” Loaiza wrote to The Hoya. “I remember being very young and hearing early rhetoric about Mexicans as ‘rapists’ and ‘criminals’ and that always stuck with me. Seeing that they’ve now militarized this rhetoric and people are being profiled on the streets does feel personal.” Following the MPD directive to share non-arraigned persons’ immigration status with ICE, the number of detentions in D.C. increased from an average of 12 per week in the first six months of Trump’s presidency to 300 detainments between Aug. 7 and Aug. 23. Throughout the country, onthe-street arrests of Latine immigrants without any criminal history increased to 17% of all ICE arrests in July 2025, up from 3.4% in December 2024. On Aug. 14, university Vice President for Public Affairs Erik Smulson sent a community-wide email that reaffirmed Georgetown’s commitment to upholding students’ rights while noting the cooperation between the Georgetown University Police Department (GUPD) and MPD. Smulson said the university does not anticipate changes to its relationship with MPD. “You may notice an increase in law enforcement presence throughout the city, including in areas of our campuses that are open to the general public,” Smulson wrote in the email. “As always, we expect any law enforcement activity on our campuses to be conducted in a manner that respects the rights of our community See GUARD, A7

New Residential Hall Complex GU Graduate Student Files to Run Opens for GU Juniors, Seniors For US House of Representatives Ruth Abramovitz Senior News Editor

Georgetown University’s newest residential complex opened its doors to students this fall, prompting student excitement for an alternative to off-campus and older on-campus housing options. The new dormitory site, which replaced Henle Village, opened after more than two years of construction, with housing capacity for up to 780 students in apartment-style units with kitchens and living spaces. The

construction of the complex — which includes Byrnes, Hayden and Henle Halls — was funded in part through a $20 million donation from graduates William Byrnes (MSB ’72, LAW ’81) and Lisa Byrnes (SLL ’80). Lily Marino (CAS ’26), a Byrnes Hall resident, said living on campus as a senior makes her feel more connected to the Georgetown community. “One of the things I liked the most about Georgetown was the fact that its campus is kind of consolidated,” Marino told The Hoya. “And so I always really liked living on campus; I liked

being near everything. I liked feeling like I was always kind of in it.” Claire Auslander (SON ’26), a senior living in Hayden Hall, said she opted to live in the new residential complex because of its central location and proximity to buildings on the north end of campus, such as St. Mary’s Hall. “The convenience for me was a major factor — I feel like it’s right next to everything that I utilize the most,” Auslander told The Hoya. “As a nursing student, I’m in

Ajani Stella

Senior News Editor

When Ammar Campa-Najjar (GRD ’26) began graduate school at Georgetown University this fall, he described it as “a dream come true.” In November, however, he plans to pause this dream to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. Campa-Najjar filed to run as a Democrat in California’s 48th congressional district, which includes the area east of San Diego. If voters See RESIDENTIAL, A7 approve the redrawn maps in a

Nov. 4 special election — which Campa-Najjar and policy analysts expect to happen — he will take a leave of absence from his studies at Georgetown, where he is pursuing a master’s degree in conflict resolution, to begin his congressional campaign. Campa-Najjar said he believes he can relate to constituents’ concerns better than the Republican incumbent, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). “I have a different way of doing things,” Campa-Najjar told The Hoya. “I think we need to fight for people. I think we need to build a

government that works for working people.” After state legislature efforts to redistrict Texas to favor Republicanheld districts, Governor Gavin Newsom of California signed a similar effort Aug. 21. Mid-decade redistricting is unprecedented — it normally takes place every 10 years to account for changes in population — but not unconstitutional. A San Diego County native, former U.S. Department of Labor

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SPORTS

Student Rights Teach-In

Resist DC’s Takeover

Ethel Cain Reigns Supreme

Out of Left Field

A12/A11

In response to the federalization of D.C. police, students held a teach-in to educate community members about their rights.

The Editorial Board denounces the federal government takeover, urging students to know their rights and resist encroachment.

Patrick Clapsaddle (SFS ’26) praises Ethel Cain’s newest release for its production prowess and superb songwriting.

See CONGRESS, A7

Eilat Herman (CAS ’26) recommends the Yankees spend less money on analysts and more on, well, anything else.

Capitol Campus Programs

Challenge Gossip Culture

‘Weapons’ Suffers Dull Edge

Hoyas Dominate Davidson

A12/A11

Georgetown’s Capitol Campus will house multiple academic programs after they were relocated from the Hilltop campus.

Julia Nguyen (SFS ’28) calls on Georgetown students to foster positivity by decentering the role of gossip in interpersonal relationships.

In her review of Zach Cregger’s latest horror flick “Weapons,” Caroline Woodward (CAS ’27) doubts the hype.

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The Georgetown University football team surged to a 51-14 victory against the Davidson University Wildcats Aug. 30.

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