Tim Ryan pledged to support taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgery for illegal immigrants

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Twitter erupts after JD Vance slams Tim Ryan on immigration, claims border policy led to girl's rape: 'KO'

Conservatives on Twitter applauded GOP Senate candidate J.D. Vance for delivering a "KO" to Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, during their Monday night debate. 

Ohio Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Tim Ryan pledged to support taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgeries for incarcerated Americans and illegal immigrants during his unsuccessful bid for president.

Ryan's commitment came in a 2019 presidential candidate questionnaire from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Asked whether he would use his "executive authority to ensure that transgender and non-binary people who rely on the state for medical care – including those in prison and immigration detention – will have access to comprehensive treatment associated with gender transition, including all necessary surgical care," Ryan stated "yes."

The questionnaire asked the candidates who marked yes to explain their rationale, but Ryan did not offer additional insight.

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Ohio Democratic Senate candidate Tim Ryan speaks during a primary election night event in Columbus, Ohio, on May 3, 2022. (Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

In addition, the questionnaire also asked the candidates whether they would commit to reducing "the size of the immigration detention system by at least 75%, including by: 1) cutting ICE’s detention budget; 2) ending the detention of families, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable populations; 3) ending prolonged detention without bond hearings; and 4) ending requirements that immigrants post bonds they cannot afford."

Again, Ryan checked the box indicating "yes."

Ryan also committed at that time to support "ending the use of ICE detainers," which, according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement website, are notices issued by the Department of Homeland Security to "federal, state and local law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to inform the LEA that ICE intends to assume custody of an individual in the LEA's custody."

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Migrants from Brazil pass through a gap in the border wall to reach the United States after crossing from Mexico in Yuma, Arizona, June 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)

Ryan, who currently represents the Buckeye State's 13th Congressional District in the House and is looking to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Rob Portman, has attempted to distance himself from party leaders and portray himself as a moderate in the Ohio Senate race against JD Vance, his Republican challenger.

In a September interview, Ryan insisted that President Biden has "made some big mistakes" when it comes to securing America's southern border.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Vance campaign said Ryan's commitment to the funding of gender reassignment surgeries for illegal immigrants is a "radical" position.

"Taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgeries for illegal immigrants: you really cannot get more radical than that," a Vance campaign spokesperson said. "Tim Ryan has spent this entire campaign lying to Ohioans about his record and trying to convince them he’s a moderate. The truth is that he’s just a far-left, woke liberal who wants to waste taxpayer money on insane ideas like this. He doesn’t belong anywhere near the U.S. Senate."

Senate candidate Rep. Tim Ryan speaks to students during a campaign stop at Ohio State University on Oct. 19, 2022, in Columbus. (Gaelen Morse/Getty Images)

There have been more than two million migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in FY2022, as Border Patrol agents deal with a migrant crisis unprecedented in U.S. history and one that the Biden administration has so far failed to slow, despite its claims that the border is "secure."

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With less than a week to go until Election Day, an average of the latest public opinion polls in Ohio indicates Vance holds a razor-thin edge over Ryan. The two candidates will go head-to-head in the state's Senate election on Nov. 8.

Fox News did not receive an immediate response from the Ryan campaign on whether the candidate still supports taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgeries for those in prison and immigration detention.

Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this article.