Raul Ruiz

Raul Ruiz
Born	Raul Ruiz
Nationality	American
Occupation	Physician, politician
Title	U.S. Representative from California's 25th congressional district
Known for	U.S. Representative for California's 25th congressional district
Education	Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
Website	[[ruiz.house.gov ruiz.house.gov] Official site]

Raul Ruiz, M.D., is an American physician and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for California's 25th congressional district. A member of the Democratic Party, Ruiz has built a congressional career at the intersection of public health and public policy, drawing on his background as an emergency medicine physician to champion legislation on healthcare access, humanitarian standards, energy policy, and labor protections. Representing a district that encompasses portions of the Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley in Southern California, Ruiz has focused on issues affecting the diverse, largely rural and agricultural communities of the region. His legislative record includes efforts to reform conditions in immigration detention facilities, strengthen child labor protections in the agricultural sector, secure critical mineral supply chains for domestic battery manufacturing, and ensure continued funding for low-income energy assistance programs. Before entering politics, Ruiz practiced emergency medicine and was involved in public health initiatives, bringing a medical perspective that continues to inform his approach to lawmaking. He is one of a small number of physicians serving in the U.S. Congress.

Career

Congressional Service

Raul Ruiz serves as the U.S. Representative for California's 25th congressional district. As a Democrat representing a region with significant agricultural, energy, and immigration-related policy concerns, Ruiz has introduced and supported a broad range of legislation during his tenure in Congress.

Healthcare and Humanitarian Legislation

A central pillar of Ruiz's congressional work has been healthcare policy and humanitarian standards, informed by his training as a physician. In February 2026, Ruiz introduced the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in ICE and CBP Custody Act, legislation aimed at establishing enforceable standards for the treatment of individuals detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The bill was introduced amid ongoing national debate over conditions in immigration detention facilities.

Ruiz's concern for conditions in detention facilities extended beyond the legislative chamber. In February 2026, he conducted an oversight visit to the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, California, amid reports of detainee deaths at the facility. The visit, which took place on February 18, 2026, was part of Ruiz's broader efforts to investigate and address what he described as dangerous gaps in the treatment of individuals held in federal immigration custody. The Imperial Regional Detention Facility is located within his congressional district, placing the issue directly within the scope of his constituent responsibilities.

Child Labor Protections

On November 20, 2025—International Children's Day—Ruiz reintroduced the Children's Act for Responsible Employment (CARE Act), legislation designed to close what Ruiz characterized as dangerous gaps in child labor laws within the agriculture industry. The CARE Act targets the regulatory framework governing the employment of minors in agricultural settings, an area of labor law that has historically permitted younger children to work under conditions that would be prohibited in other industries under federal law. The reintroduction of the bill reflected Ruiz's sustained focus on the welfare of children in farming communities, which are prevalent throughout his Southern California district.

The agriculture industry in California's 25th congressional district is a major economic driver, and the district's farmworker communities have long faced challenges related to labor conditions, access to healthcare, and environmental exposure. Ruiz's introduction of the CARE Act situated him within a broader legislative movement to modernize agricultural labor standards, particularly as they pertain to minors.

Energy and Manufacturing Policy

Ruiz has also engaged with energy policy and domestic manufacturing issues. In February 2026, he co-introduced the Critical Minerals and Manufacturing Act alongside Congressman Gabe Evans (R-CO), a bipartisan effort to strengthen U.S. battery manufacturing capacity and secure critical mineral supply chains. The legislation addressed growing concerns about American dependence on foreign sources of critical minerals essential to battery production, electric vehicles, and renewable energy technologies. The bipartisan nature of the bill—co-sponsored by a Republican colleague—reflected Ruiz's efforts to build cross-party support on issues of economic competitiveness and national security.

The Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley regions that Ruiz represents are areas where renewable energy development—including solar energy installations—has become increasingly important to the local economy. The Critical Minerals and Manufacturing Act aligned with Ruiz's broader interest in positioning his district and the nation for the transition to clean energy technologies while maintaining domestic industrial capacity.

Low-Income Energy Assistance

In November 2025, Ruiz, together with Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), led a bipartisan letter urging the Department of Health and Human Services to immediately release funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The letter was prompted by concerns that government shutdowns and funding delays were jeopardizing the availability of energy assistance for low-income households, particularly during periods of extreme weather. LIHEAP provides federally funded assistance to help low-income families with heating and cooling costs, and the program is of particular significance in Ruiz's district, where summer temperatures in the desert communities frequently exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

The advocacy for LIHEAP funding reflected Ruiz's ongoing engagement with issues of environmental justice and public health in desert communities, where extreme heat poses life-threatening risks to vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children, and those with chronic health conditions.

Desert and Environmental Advocacy

Ruiz introduced a joint resolution in January 2026 expressing support for the designation of a "National Desert Day." The resolution aimed to raise awareness about the ecological, cultural, and economic significance of desert environments in the United States. Ruiz's district encompasses large portions of the California desert, including communities in the Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley that are deeply connected to desert ecosystems.

The introduction of the resolution was consistent with Ruiz's broader legislative focus on the unique challenges and opportunities facing desert communities, including water scarcity, extreme heat, renewable energy development, and the preservation of natural and cultural resources.

Community Engagement

Ruiz has maintained an active presence in his district through community events and public ceremonies. In October 2025, he hosted a dedication ceremony in Brawley, California, officially designating the local United States Postal Service building as the Walter Francis Ulloa Memorial Post Office Building. The ceremony honored the legacy of Walter Francis Ulloa, and the designation of the post office reflected the importance of commemorating significant community figures through public landmarks.

Brawley is located in the Imperial Valley, one of the agricultural heartlands within Ruiz's district, and the event underscored his engagement with the communities he represents beyond the halls of Congress.

Legislative Priorities

Throughout his time in Congress, Ruiz's legislative agenda has coalesced around several recurring themes:

• Healthcare access and humanitarian standards: As a physician, Ruiz has consistently advocated for improved healthcare conditions in immigration detention and expanded access to medical services in underserved communities.
• Agricultural labor protections: The CARE Act and related efforts reflect his focus on the welfare of farmworkers and their families, particularly children employed in agricultural settings.
• Energy policy and critical minerals: His bipartisan work on battery manufacturing and critical mineral supply chains positions him within the broader congressional effort to secure American energy independence.
• Environmental justice in desert communities: Ruiz has drawn attention to the unique vulnerabilities of desert-dwelling populations, including extreme heat exposure and the need for energy assistance programs like LIHEAP.
• Immigration oversight: His detention facility visits and humanitarian custody legislation demonstrate an active oversight role regarding immigration enforcement practices within his district.

Personal Life

Raul Ruiz holds a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree and practiced emergency medicine before entering politics. He has frequently referenced his medical background in public statements and legislative efforts, using the designation "M.D." in official communications from his congressional office. His medical credentials have informed his legislative focus on public health issues, humanitarian conditions in detention, and healthcare access for underserved populations in his district.

Ruiz represents a congressional district in Southern California that includes communities in the Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley, areas characterized by desert geography, agricultural economies, and diverse populations with significant Latino communities.

Recognition

Ruiz's status as one of the few physicians serving in the U.S. Congress has made him a notable figure in discussions about the intersection of medicine and public policy. His bipartisan legislative efforts, such as the Critical Minerals and Manufacturing Act co-introduced with Republican Congressman Gabe Evans, have been cited as examples of cross-party cooperation on issues of national economic and security importance.

His oversight visit to the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico in February 2026 drew media attention, with coverage by regional outlets such as The Desert Review highlighting his role in holding federal agencies accountable for conditions within detention facilities in his district.

The dedication of the Walter Francis Ulloa Memorial Post Office Building in Brawley in October 2025 was a public event that demonstrated Ruiz's role in facilitating community recognition and historical commemoration within his district.