Ilhan Omars Guest HOSPITALIZED During SOTU Address

A disabled software engineer arrested at the State of the Union made headlines not for the first time, but the second—and both encounters with federal authorities ended with her screaming about torn shoulders and traumatic injuries.

Story Snapshot

Aliya Rahman, Rep. Ilhan Omar’s guest, was arrested for standing silently during Trump’s State of the Union address and charged with unlawful conduct.
Rahman previously went viral when federal immigration agents forcibly removed her from her vehicle during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, an incident she claims caused severe shoulder injuries.
Capitol Police stated Rahman refused lawful orders to sit down during the speech, while Omar called the arrest “heavy-handed” and demanded a full investigation.
Rahman faces up to six months in prison and a $500 fine for disrupting Congress, though she was released early Wednesday morning.

The January Incident That Made Her Famous

Rahman’s name first surfaced nationally on January 13, when federal immigration agents stopped her vehicle during Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration crackdown in Minneapolis. Video footage captured agents dragging the Bangladeshi-American software engineer from her car by her limbs while she screamed that she was disabled. The Department of Homeland Security labeled her an “agitator” who ignored commands to move her vehicle. Rahman, who has autism and a traumatic brain injury, claims she was on her way to a medical appointment.

She was taken to ICE’s detention center at the Whipple Federal Building, where she alleged mistreatment and denial of medical care. Rahman later testified before Congress, detailing what she described as severe physical, mental, and emotional trauma. Her testimony included a grim accounting of her injuries: “I have spent the last month learning the names of the tendons in my shoulder—because both of my shoulders are torn, cartilage and tendon.” Operation Metro Surge ended in mid-February after Border Czar Tom Homan announced local law enforcement cooperation made further federal presence unnecessary.

Standing Silently Becomes a Federal Crime

Fast forward to February 25. Rahman sat in the House gallery as Rep. Ilhan Omar’s guest during President Trump’s State of the Union address. At approximately 10:07 p.m., she stood up silently. Capitol Police ordered her to sit. She refused. Officers removed her forcibly from the chamber, an action that required transport to George Washington University Hospital for medical treatment before booking at Capitol Police headquarters. She was charged with unlawful conduct and disrupting Congress, offenses carrying potential penalties of six months imprisonment or a $500 fine.

Capitol Police defended the arrest by emphasizing that demonstrating in congressional buildings is illegal and that all State of the Union tickets explicitly prohibit such conduct. Rahman refused lawful orders, they stated, leaving officers no choice but to remove her. The characterization of her action as “demonstrating” versus “standing silently” forms the crux of the dispute. Rahman told Democracy Now! that officers pulled on her shoulders despite her warnings about existing injuries, only stopping when their own sergeant intervened in a back stairwell. Two other attendees reportedly attempted to intervene when they witnessed the physical handling.

Furious Ilhan Omar Demands Probe After Her Radical SOTU Guest Is Arrested—She Might Look Familiar to You https://t.co/EPdZlNmm15 pic.twitter.com/zXklbbYcHY

— FutureTrump2️⃣⏺2️⃣4⃣🍊 (@RealTrump2020_) February 26, 2026

Omar’s Outrage and the Heavy-Handed Response Claim

Rep. Omar wasted no time condemning the arrest, releasing a statement calling the Capitol Police response “heavy-handed” and claiming it “sends a chilling message about the state of our democracy.” She demanded a full explanation of why the arrest occurred. Omar, who also made headlines during the same speech for shouting at Trump about immigration and Somali migrants in Minnesota, told CNN she did not regret her own outburst and confirmed Rahman was “back and safe” after her release early Wednesday.

The congresswoman’s decision to invite Rahman as her guest was clearly calculated political theater, designed to spotlight what Omar views as federal overreach in immigration enforcement. Rahman’s prior viral encounter with federal agents made her an ideal symbol for Omar’s messaging. The arrest during Trump’s speech only amplified that narrative, though it also raises legitimate questions about whether Rahman intended to provoke another confrontation or genuinely believed standing silently was permissible behavior at a State of the Union address.

Disability Rights Meet Congressional Decorum

Rahman’s documented disabilities—torn rotator cuffs, cartilage tears in both shoulders, autism, and traumatic brain injury—complicate the narrative significantly. Disability advocates argue law enforcement failed to accommodate her medical conditions during the removal process. Capitol Police statements do not address Rahman’s specific allegations about officers pulling on her injured shoulders, nor do they confirm or deny the sergeant intervention she described. This gap in the official account leaves critical questions unanswered about whether proper procedures were followed when handling a guest with known physical vulnerabilities.

State of the Union disruptions are not unprecedented. Rep. Al Green was escorted out during Trump’s speech, and even Omar herself shouted during the President’s remarks. The difference lies in Rahman’s status as a private citizen and congressional guest rather than an elected official, her documented disabilities, and the physical nature of her removal requiring hospitalization. The incident forces a confrontation between maintaining congressional decorum at high-profile events and protecting the rights of guests with disabilities who may not fully comprehend or comply with chamber rules.

Rahman’s legal fate remains uncertain. If convicted, she faces real consequences for what she characterizes as peaceful protest and what Capitol Police characterize as unlawful disruption. The case will likely hinge on whether prosecutors can prove she intentionally disrupted Congress versus whether her standing can be dismissed as a disability-related misunderstanding of chamber rules. Given her prior testimony before Congress and clear political alignment with immigration enforcement critics, the intentional disruption argument carries substantial weight. Rahman knew the rules, had every reason to understand the prohibition on demonstrations, and chose to stand anyway.