Fitchburg, Wisconsin authorities have charged 23-year-old Julio Morales-Jarquin with two counts of second-degree sexual assault of an elderly victim following an investigation into allegations that he assaulted residents at Dimensions Living, a nursing home and memory care facility.
Morales-Jarquin, a Nicaraguan national who entered the United States through the Biden administration's humanitarian parole program in 2023, was arrested and charged on April 29. The Fitchburg Police Department confirmed it received a report that an employee may have assaulted vulnerable residents at the facility.
According to court documents reported by WMTV, staff members found Morales-Jarquin with a dementia patient who was completely naked and in hospice care. In another incident, a colleague encountered him exiting a bathroom with his pants down, and when asked what he was doing, he claimed he was helping the patient get dressed.
Morales-Jarquin allegedly admitted to touching one patient inappropriately during incidents around February or March, according to police reports. He is also accused of taking intimate photos and videos of another resident before deleting them from his phone. A female resident over 60 told investigators she had sex with Morales-Jarquin, stating she did not truly consent but gave in after he repeatedly asked.
What the Right Is Saying
Acting Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis issued a statement calling on Dane County officials not to release Morales-Jarquin back into the community. 'This dirtbag was released into the country by the Biden administration,' Bis said, adding that DHS is 'calling on sanctuary politicians in Dane County, Wisconsin to NOT release this criminal from jail back onto the streets to commit more crimes.'
Republican critics of the Biden-era parole program have pointed to Morales-Jarquin's case as evidence that the administration insufficiently vetted individuals before allowing them into the country. The program allowed more than 500,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter on humanitarian grounds with two-year work authorization.
Conservatives argue that Dane County's policies, which give ICE only 30 minutes notice before releasing inmates in some cases, create public safety gaps. A previous email from the county to ICE stated that without a court-signed document and immediate pickup, subjects would be released without delay. Republicans contend such policies obstruct federal efforts to remove criminal aliens.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive advocates note that incidents of abuse in nursing homes are not unique to any particular workforce and point to broader failures in staffing oversight and regulatory inspection. They argue that focusing solely on immigration status distracts from systemic issues in elder care facilities that affect all residents regardless of how staff members entered the country.
Immigration rights organizations have long argued that sanctuary policies protect immigrant communities from racial profiling and allow local law enforcement to focus on public safety rather than federal immigration enforcement. These groups note that Dane County's cooperation limitations reflect legal concerns about unconstitutional detainer practices by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Democratic lawmakers have emphasized that the Trump administration ended the parole program in April 2025, suggesting the policy debate is now resolved. Some have called for increased funding for nursing home inspection programs to prevent abuse of any vulnerable residents regardless of staff backgrounds.
What the Numbers Show
The Biden administration's humanitarian parole program admitted more than 500,000 individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela between 2023 and its termination in April 2025, according to DHS figures. The program allowed participants to legally work and stay for two-year periods.
Morales-Jarquin was released into the country through this program in 2023 and allegedly overstayed his initial period of authorized presence. ICE has lodged a detainer requesting custody transfer from Dane County jail, where he is currently being held on the assault charges.
DHS officials stated that in some cases, Dane County provides as little as 30 minutes notice before releasing inmates who are illegal immigrants, complicating federal efforts to take individuals into immigration custody. The county requires court documents signed by a judge for extended detentions under immigration holds.
The Department of Homeland Security has publicly criticized such local cooperation limitations in the past, arguing they hinder removal proceedings for criminal aliens. These disputes represent ongoing tension between federal immigration enforcement priorities and state and local policies limiting participation in civil immigration matters.
The Bottom Line
Morales-Jarquin remains in Dane County custody facing state charges while ICE pursues a detainer for potential federal immigration proceedings. His case has become a focal point in the broader debate over the Biden administration's parole program, which the Trump administration terminated last year.
The incident also highlights ongoing legal and policy disputes between federal immigration authorities and jurisdictions with sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with ICE detainers. What happens next at the county level regarding custody transfer will likely be watched closely by both sides of the immigration debate.
Nursing home industry advocates note that all long-term care facilities must comply with background check requirements, though critics argue such checks do not catch individuals who entered the country without standard immigration documentation. The case may prompt renewed calls for improved vetting procedures at facilities serving elderly and vulnerable populations.