One of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s invited guests to President Trump’s State of the Union address did not make it through the night without handcuffs.
Aliya Rahman, a 43 year old Minneapolis resident, was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police after disrupting the speech from the House gallery. According to police, Rahman “started demonstrating” around 10:07 p.m. and refused repeated orders to sit down. Officers made clear that all State of the Union tickets explicitly state that demonstrating is prohibited inside the chamber during a joint session of Congress.
“It is illegal to disrupt the Congress and demonstrate in the Congressional Buildings,” Capitol Police said in a statement. Rahman was arrested under D.C. Code §10-503.16 for unlawful conduct and disruption of Congress. She was later issued a citation release, which police described as routine.
Aliya Rahman, who was forcibly removed from her car by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is removed from the chamber during U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. Photo by @SmileItsNathan and in Minnesota by Tim Evans pic.twitter.com/XZevmMCTex
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Rahman had been invited by Representative Ilhan Omar, who brought four Minnesotans as guests. Omar has been sharply critical of President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies and framed Rahman as someone seeking accountability for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Rahman is not new to confrontation with federal authorities. In January, she was detained by ICE officers in Minneapolis after, according to federal officials, she ignored multiple commands to move her vehicle away from an active enforcement scene. Authorities said she repeatedly refused to comply and interfered with agents. Rahman and her attorney disputed that version of events, arguing she was treated unfairly.
Following her arrest at the State of the Union, her attorney, Alexa Van Brunt, told Newsweek that Rahman was “targeted” and insisted there was “nothing unlawful about standing in silence.” The attorney said Rahman was not holding a sign, making gestures, or wearing protest gear, but was simply standing quietly.
Capitol Police, however, were clear that demonstrating of any kind, silent or otherwise, is not allowed inside the chamber during one of the most formal proceedings of the year. Rules apply to everyone in attendance, whether they are cheering, booing, or silently protesting.
The arrest came as President Trump used the address to emphasize border security and increased immigration enforcement. For supporters of the president, the disruption underscored what they see as a pattern of theatrical protest over policy debate. For Omar’s critics, inviting a guest with a history of clashing with ICE only added fuel to the fire.
The State of the Union is meant to be a moment of national focus, not a protest rally. Members of Congress can object, criticize, or counter the president’s agenda in countless other forums. Inside the chamber during a joint session, decorum is not optional.
Whether standing or shouting, the rules were clear. And on Tuesday night, enforcement of those rules was equally clear.
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