Grijalva to Skip State of the Union; U.S. Citizen Who Was Detained By ICE in Minnesota to Take Her Place

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07) announced today that she will not attend this year’s State of the Union address. Instead, Grijalva has transferred her ticket to Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05), who will be bringing Mubashir Khalif Hussen – a U.S. citizen of Somali descent who was violently detained by federal immigration agents despite repeatedly asserting his citizenship – in her stead.  

According to a federal civil rights lawsuit, Hussen was stopped by masked immigration agents while on his lunch break. Despite informing them he was a U.S. citizen and offering identification, he was thrown to the ground, restrained in a headlock, and detained for hours before officials ultimately confirmed he was, in fact, an American citizen. His lawsuit alleges racial profiling, unlawful detention, and excessive force. 

“I will not sit silently while Trump gaslights the American people with lies about how great everything is,” said Rep. Grijalva. “If Trump wants to boast about his reckless and unconstitutional immigration enforcement, he should do it in front of the people who these policies have directly harmed.” 

“Here’s the real state of the union: our communities are living in fear, working families cannot make ends meet, healthcare is unaffordable for our veterans and seniors, meanwhile the Department of Education is being dismantled. These are policies that should be protested, not applauded.”  

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