As President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address, Rep. Ayanna Pressley dedicated her own floor speech to children she says have been traumatized by federal immigration enforcement — and made clear she would not attend the president’s address. The Massachusetts Democrat said she refused to “give an audience” to Trump, choosing instead to focus her remarks on families impacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions.
Opening her remarks with the declaration that “the state of our union is traumatizing our children,” Pressley addressed several children by name, describing their experiences with ICE operations and detention facilities.
Pressley began with the story of Juan Nicholas, a two-month-old infant who, she said, was detained alongside his mother at the Dilley Detention Center in Texas, a privately run facility. She described the baby’s reported health struggles while in custody and said the family was later deported to Mexico. Pressley characterized the conditions as harmful and accused the federal government of subjecting infants and parents to unnecessary trauma.
She then spoke about Daphne, a 2-year-old from Massachusetts whose father was detained during what ICE described as a collateral arrest in a broader enforcement action. Pressley argued that labeling individuals as “collateral” diminishes their humanity and the impact of their absence on their families. She said the separation was unjust and pledged to continue fighting for families to remain together.
Pressley also highlighted the case of a 9-year-old girl she identified as Susay, who she said had been held at the same detention center for more than 60 days. Reading from a letter the child reportedly wrote, Pressley described the girl’s feelings of fear and longing for school and friends. The congresswoman accused the administration of ignoring the pleas of detained children and labeled the broader policy approach as abusive.
In addition, Pressley spoke about siblings from her district whose father was detained by ICE shortly after the birth of their youngest sister. She described the emotional toll on the children, including a young boy who repeatedly asks for his father and a sister navigating autism without the advocacy of a parent at home. Although the father has reportedly been returned to the United States following a court ruling, Pressley said he remains in ICE custody.
Throughout her speech, Pressley framed the children as her “honorary guests” to the State of the Union, saying they deserved recognition in the halls of Congress. She argued that childhood security and family unity should not depend on immigration status and vowed to continue pushing for policy changes.
Her remarks come amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement, with critics accusing the administration of excessive force and supporters arguing that the policies are necessary for border security. Pressley’s boycott and speech underscored the deep partisan divide over how the country handles immigration — and who bears the human cost.
