The State of the Union on Tuesday night unfolds against the backdrop of a funding lapse at the Department of Homeland Security over federal immigration enforcement tactics–and some Democrats are skipping out on President Donald Trump’s address, while others are bringing guests tied to the immigration issue. One example includes Rep. Seth Moulton’s (D-MA) guest, Marcelo Gomes da Silva. Moulton’s office said in a press release that Gomes da Silva was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for having an expired student visa he did not know about. Moulton said that “his story captures what’s broken in our immigration system right now,” whereas DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has said, “Marcelo Gomes da Silva is still an illegal alien and subject to removal proceedings.” Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) invited Caroline Dias Gonçalves as a guest, saying she was briefly arrested by ICE last year, even though she’s considered part of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). However, DHS stated that Gonçalves’ “visa expired over a decade ago. President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to restoring integrity to the visa program and ensuring it is not abused to allow aliens a permanent one-way ticket to remain in the U.S.” “Today, some Democrats in Congress are planning to bring illegal aliens as guests to the State of the Union. Once again, they are putting illegal aliens above the safety of American citizens,” Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a Tuesday statement to The Daily Wire. Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation’s capital begins at 7:45 ET. “Yesterday alone, our officers arrested pedophiles, rapists, and violent criminals from our communities. President Trump and Secretary Noem have made it abundantly clear: if you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and you will NEVER return,” Bis added. DHS also highlighted illegal immigrant arrests made on Monday, including Cuban national Jorge Luis Gómez-Gallardo, who had a prior conviction for “carnal knowledge of a child 13-14 years old without force” in Virginia. Guyanese national Parsam Chettana was arrested in Schenectady, New York, and has been convicted of rape. Mexican national Agustine Hernandez-Almaraz was convicted of “criminal sexual assault”; Omar Gómez-Hinojosa of Mexico also had an assault conviction; and El Salvadoran national Isidro Arcenio Alvarado has a “naturalization fraud” conviction in North Carolina. On Monday at the White House, Trump proclaimed it National Angel Family Day to “remember and honor the thousands of American lives stolen from us by criminal illegal aliens and the deadly drugs they bring across our borders.” One of the Democrats voicing their opposition ahead of Tuesday’s remarks from the president is Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), who is facing federal felony charges for allegedly interfering with authorities during a clash outside an ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, last May. McIver’s “prebuttal” underscored her criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics. “America can handle dissent. We should welcome it. The conversation makes us stronger. But Donald Trump doesn’t care about America; he cares only about himself, his money, his power. It is time to decide: Is democracy worth defending? Is it worth the risk? Is it worth a very real sacrifice?” she said.

In a week where American dominance on the ice reached levels not seen in nearly half a century, the legacy media found itself predictably obsessed with a joke. But while the “outrage machine” spun over a phone call from President Donald Trump, the woman at the center of the Hughes hockey dynasty, Ellen Hughes, was busy reminding the country what actually matters: patriotism and winning. Team USA didn’t just beat Canada in Milan—they delivered a double dose of overtime heartbreak to our neighbors to the north and sent the Stars and Stripes soaring. First, the women’s team reclaimed gold in a sudden-death thriller. Days later, the men ended a 46-year drought with an overtime “Golden Goal” of their own. And yes, President Trump noticed. After the men’s team clinched the top spot on the podium—thanks to a Jack Hughes game-winner for the ages—Trump called to offer his congratulations. During the now-viral call, the President joked that he’d better invite the women’s team to the State of the Union as well, quipping that if he didn’t, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.” While the “political class” immediately fainted onto their couches, Ellen Hughes—mother of NHL stars Jack and Quinn and a player development consultant for the gold medal-winning women’s squad—responded with the kind of grace and perspective rarely found in Washington. Appearing on NBC’s “TODAY,” Hughes brushed past the partisan bickering to focus on the achievement of the athletes. “At the end of the day, it’s just about the country,” she said. “I think the moment that these players, both the men and women, can bring so much unity to a group and to a country—people that cheered on that don’t watch hockey, people that have politics on one side or on the other side—that’s all both teams care about.” Inside the Olympic bubble, Hughes described a refreshing scene of genuine camaraderie that stands in stark contrast to today’s hyper-polarized climate. The men’s and women’s teams shared dorms, cheered each other on from the stands, and celebrated as one American unit. “It couldn’t have gone better,” Hughes said. “Both teams going undefeated. We couldn’t have written a better story.” Her son, Jack Hughes, echoed that sentiment, making it clear that the bond between the two squads is far deeper than any political headline. “If there’s a camera on me and Quinn when the women’s team won, we look like the biggest superfans of all time,” Jack said. “We were just jumping up and down. We couldn’t believe it. We locked in and said goodbye to everyone because we had a game the next night … but I remember I saw [Megan Keller] the night after they won. I was just like, ‘Megan, I’m so proud of you. I’m so happy for you.’ When mine went in, one of my first thoughts was her … I’m so proud to join her as a gold medalist.” Jack Hughes on supporting the U.S. women’s hockey team… “I wish — if there's a camera on me and Quinn when the women's team won, we’d look like the biggest superfans of all time. We were just jumping up and down. We couldn't believe it. And we locked in, said goodbye because… pic.twitter.com/41Z8PnEjnd — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 24, 2026 While the women’s team ultimately declined the State of the Union invitation due to professional and academic scheduling conflicts, they remained “sincerely grateful” for the recognition. Meanwhile, the men’s team is expected to be in attendance tonight at the U.S. Capitol, “somehow, some way,” according to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Despite the media’s best efforts to turn a historic sporting achievement into a partisan wedge issue, the Hughes family and Team USA have stayed focused on the mission. Two gold medals. Two overtime wins over Canada. One country celebrating together. In the end, it was a rare moment where excellence and patriotism took a front seat, and the political noise was left in the locker room. Not bad for a couple of hockey games.

'Morale is decreasing'

'His motion is respectfully denied'

'They think it's OK to now scream and leave the room'

'Spare me your fake fucking outrage'

'People hate you'

'Doesn't make any sense'