The guest list for President Trump’s State of the Union address this week tells you everything you need to know about where the battle lines are drawn in Washington.
Several Democratic lawmakers have chosen to bring illegal aliens, their family members, and anti-ICE activists as their honored guests to Tuesday evening’s address. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that numerous Democrat congressmen and senators are using their coveted guest seats to make a political statement about immigration enforcement.
Among those rolling out the red carpet for illegal immigrants are Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado, and Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts. These are not back-bench members making symbolic gestures. These are prominent Democratic leaders using one of the nation’s most watched political events to signal their opposition to immigration enforcement.
But the situation gets more troubling when you examine the details. Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota is bringing an anti-ICE activist who Department of Homeland Security officials say attempted to obstruct federal law enforcement officers while they were arresting a criminal illegal alien.
The incident in question occurred in Minneapolis, where ICE agents were executing an arrest warrant for an illegal alien with a final order of removal. During the operation in the Park Avenue area, officers apprehended four illegal aliens. What should have been a routine law enforcement action turned into something else entirely.
According to a DHS spokesperson, a significant crowd surrounded the ICE officers and began impeding their law enforcement operations. That is not just discourteous behavior or peaceful protest. That is a federal crime.
One individual, the very person now being honored as Representative Omar’s guest, ignored multiple commands from an officer to move her vehicle away from the scene. She was subsequently arrested for obstruction. Let that sink in for a moment. A person arrested for obstructing federal law enforcement officers conducting a lawful operation is now being given a seat of honor at the State of the Union address.
This is not about compassion or different policy views on immigration reform. This is about the fundamental question of whether we are a nation of laws. When elected officials use the prestige and platform of the State of the Union to celebrate individuals who actively interfere with law enforcement, they are sending a dangerous message.
The State of the Union address has traditionally been an evening where Americans set aside partisan differences, at least symbolically, to hear from their president. The guest gallery has often featured everyday heroes, military families, and citizens who represent the best of American values.
Using those seats to make a statement against immigration enforcement represents a dramatic shift. It suggests that some Democratic leaders view illegal immigration not as a problem to be solved through legislation, but as a cause to be championed, even when it means celebrating those who obstruct federal officers performing their duties.
The American people deserve better than political theater that elevates lawbreaking over law enforcement. They deserve leaders willing to work together on comprehensive solutions rather than grandstanding with symbolic gestures that undermine respect for the rule of law.
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