WASHINGTON — Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on Wednesday demanded a formal investigation into the arrest of one of her guests at Tuesday night’s State of the Union address after Capitol Police removed and charged the woman for standing in the House gallery.
Omar identified the guest as Aliya Rahman, a Minneapolis resident and software engineer whom she had invited to the speech. Rahman was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police and charged with “unlawful conduct” after standing during portions of President Donald Trump’s address; authorities said she ignored repeated orders to sit down. Rahman was released early Wednesday, according to Omar’s office.
Rahman, a U.S. citizen and Bangladeshi American who has previously spoken publicly about being injured during a January immigration enforcement incident, maintains she was silently standing and not engaging in disruptive behavior when officers removed her. Omar said Rahman warned officers about her shoulder injuries and was “aggressively handled” until others intervened to secure medical attention.
During a House Oversight hearing earlier this month, Rahman testified that ICE agents broke her car window and forcibly removed her from her vehicle during a Jan. 13 enforcement operation while she was driving to a medical appointment, injuring her. She also said she repeatedly told agents she is disabled and has a brain injury. Federal officials say she was detained after not complying with commands during the operation. Video and eyewitness reports show agents surrounding her vehicle and removing her, though interpretations of the footage and accounts of her behavior vary.
In a statement, Omar criticized the police response and called for a full explanation of the arrest, saying the “heavy-handed response to a peaceful guest sends a chilling message about the state of our democracy.”
The New York Post continues:
Rahman, who could face up to six months in prison and a fine of up to $500 for the misdemeanor, claimed the sergeant-at-arms told her the reason she was being hauled out of the State of the Union was that she was standing up.
“There are only two things you can do at the State of the Union, and they are sit down and stand up,” she told Democracy Now. “I was arrested for standing up.”
Rahman said she was arrested despite the fact that she was quiet and not wearing any pins or buttons that could be seen as inflammatory. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Omar’s fellow “Squad” member, wore a “F–k ICE” pin during the event.
She also claimed she was arrested despite being “much quieter” than Republicans nearby.
Capitol Police said State of the Union tickets explicitly prohibit demonstrations and that guests can be removed for disruptive conduct. They stated Rahman began what they described as a demonstration nearly an hour before the speech concluded and did not comply with officers’ directions to sit.
During the address, Trump discussed immigration enforcement and sanctuary cities, prompting outbursts from Omar and other Democratic lawmakers on the House floor.
Omar’s call for an investigation reflects broader tensions over enforcement actions and political expression inside the Capitol, and it adds to ongoing debates about security protocol and free speech at high-profile government events.
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I imagine if she’d have obeyed the officers’ commands that there would have been no problem. Is she a 3 y/o and is throwing a tantrum by not doing anything she’s told? Simple… sit down… no problem.
Funny how loud they get when it’s one of their own!
Your in our Country. You play by our rules or get removed.
she disobeyed orders. end of story.
Just maybe they’ve got to be much more careful of who is let into the chamber.
There is a time for them to demonstrate, and a time NOT to.
That definitely was a time NOT to!
Each side has their own time to say what they have to say.
That was Trump’s time!