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Congressmember Omar Demands Probe into the Arrest of Her Guest Aliya Rahman at the State of the Union

HeadlineFeb 26, 2026

Minnesota Congressmember Ilhan Omar is demanding an investigation into the arrest of her guest at the State of the Union Tuesday night. Aliya Rahman was removed from the House chamber and jailed — all for standing silently during President Trump’s speech. She described what happened on Democracy Now!

Aliya Rahman: “I was not just removed and arrested. I was arrested so physically that two other attendees upstairs attempted to intervene in officers pulling on my shoulders after I told them I have a torn rotator cuff tendon and multiple cartilage tears in both of my shoulders.”

In a statement, Minneapolis Congressmember Ilhan Omar wrote, “The heavy-handed response to a peaceful guest sends a chilling message about the state of our democracy.” Rahman is a U.S. citizen. Last month, federal immigration agents smashed her car window and dragged her out of her car in Minneapolis. She is autistic and reportedly told them that she was disabled. She was detained at the Whipple Federal Building and later released without charge.

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