Ilhan Omar's guest, Aliya Rahman, arrested during Trump's State of the Union

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WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 24: Aliya Rahman is removed by U.S. Capitol Police from the House Chamber during U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on February 24, 2026, in Washin

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (FOX 9) - A woman who was arrested by ICE agents in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police during President Trump's State of the Union Address.

Rep. Ilhan Omar said Aliya Rahman was her guest and that she was arrested for silently standing during the speech.

U.S. Capitol Police say Rahman was told to sit down and was arrested when she refused to obey the lawful order. 

READ MORE: Testimony: Minnesota woman with disabilities detained during ICE surge

Rep. Omar decries ‘heavy-handed response to a peaceful guest’

Woman detained by ICE: 'I thought I was going to die'

Aliya Rahman, a U.S. citizen who says she was traveling to a medical appointment for a brain injury, was released from custody on Thursday after a viral video showed federal agents dragging her from her vehicle in Minneapolis. DHS characterized her as an agitator who was blocking traffic.

What they're saying:

Rep. Omar condemned the arrest in the following statement:

"My guest, Aliya Rahman, stood up silently in the gallery during the president’s speech for a short period of time, part of which other guests were also standing. For that, she was forcibly removed, despite warning officers about her injured shoulders and ultimately charged with ‘Unlawful Conduct.’

"Reports indicate she was aggressively handled until someone intervened to secure medical attention. She was taken to George Washington University Hospital for treatment and later booked at the United States Capitol Police headquarters. 

"The heavy-handed response to a peaceful guest sends a chilling message about the state of our democracy. I am calling for a full explanation of why this arrest occurred."

Rahman said during an interview with "Democracy Now!" that she was arrested for "standing up, silently."

"No buttons, no facial expressions, no gestures, no signs, not one sound," Rahman said. 

U.S. Capitol Police statement

The other side:

U.S. Capitol Police shared the following statement on Rahman's arrest:

"All State of the Union tickets clearly explain that demonstrating is prohibited. At approximately 10:07 p.m., a person in the House Gallery started demonstrating during the State of the Union Address. The guest was told to sit down, but refused to obey our lawful orders. It is illegal to disrupt the Congress and demonstrate in the Congressional Buildings, so 43-year-old Aliya M. Rahman of Minneapolis, MN, was arrested for D.C. Code §10-503.16 - Unlawful Conduct, Disruption of Congress." 

Raham arrested by ICE agents 

Dig deeper:

Rahman was arrested by ICE agents in Minneapolis on Jan. 13. Rahman was on her way to a doctor's appointment, her 39th for TBI, when she encountered a chaotic traffic stop. She says she tried to comply with agents' demands but ended up with her car window broken and being forcibly removed from her vehicle.

Rahman recounted, "I had not wanted to pull into a blocked, chaotic intersection, but verbally agreed to do so and rolled down my window after an agent yelled, ‘Move! I will break your effing window!’"

Rahman was dragged out of her car and says she experienced severe pain when agents pinned her to the ground. "Shooting pain went through my head, neck, and wrists when I hit the ground face first and people leaned on my back," she said.

She was eventually placed in an SUV, and her ordeal was captured on a video that went viral. Rahman later testified about her experience in Washington, D.C. 

Days after her testimony, Immigration and Customs Enforcement shared a video of the incident, claiming it contradicted Rahman's narrative.