The State of the Union is supposed to be a night where lawmakers set aside theatrics and at least pretend to respect the rule of law. Instead, one Democrat congressman managed to turn it into a stunt that left a lot of Americans shaking their heads.
Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts invited a teenage illegal alien, Marcelo Gomes DaSilva, to attend President Trump’s address. Gomes da Silva had previously been detained after his student visa expired, leaving him in the country unlawfully. That fact alone raised eyebrows. But what happened next made the situation even more controversial.
🚨 WTF?! Democrat Rep. Seth Moulton SMUGGLED IN an illegal alien to Trump's State of the Union address, then had his Chief of Staff HARBOR the illegal in Moulton's office to SHIELD him from police
Harboring an illegal is a FEDERAL FELONY
ARRESTS need to be made! Or our laws are… pic.twitter.com/TdVjcxNKxX
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 26, 2026
According to reports, the Department of Homeland Security posted on social media about Gomes da Silva’s immigration status during the evening. Moulton’s chief of staff, Neesha Suarez, reportedly saw the post and became concerned that federal authorities might attempt to detain him at the Capitol. With a heavy law enforcement presence in the House gallery, she allegedly escorted Gomes da Silva out of the chamber before the speech concluded.
Instead of remaining in the gallery like other invited guests, he reportedly watched the rest of the address on his phone from Moulton’s office.
That sequence of events has sparked sharp criticism. Inviting someone who is in the country illegally to the State of the Union is already a political statement. Assisting that individual in avoiding potential contact with immigration authorities takes it a step further.
President Trump used the address to highlight border enforcement and honor victims of crimes committed by individuals who entered or remained in the country unlawfully. At one point, he recognized Anna Zarutska, the mother of a Ukrainian refugee who was killed by a violent offender. Many Democrats remained seated. The contrast was not subtle.
Critics argue that helping someone evade immigration enforcement undermines the very laws members of Congress are sworn to uphold. Supporters of Moulton say he was standing up for a young person they believe deserves compassion and a path forward.
The legal implications remain unclear. In a separate case last year, a Wisconsin judge was convicted of obstructing federal immigration agents while helping an illegal alien avoid arrest and later resigned. Whether any similar consequences will arise here is unknown.
What is clear is that the incident adds fuel to an already heated debate over immigration enforcement and the role of elected officials. Members of Congress are free to advocate for policy changes. But when advocacy begins to blur into actions that appear to interfere with enforcement of existing law, the political optics are hard to ignore.
For many Americans, the rule of law is not optional. And they expect their representatives to respect it, even when it is inconvenient.