Rep. Tim Ryan said he’s leaving his guest seat for Tuesday’s State of the Union empty as a protest against President Trump’s immigration plans, after a constituent of his was deported earlier this week.
Amer Othman, a Palestinian man the government said gained legal status based on a fraudulent marriage, was deported after nearly 40 years in the U.S.
“Amer deserves to be at the State of the Union this evening, representing himself and so many others like him, to show President Trump and congressional Republicans that the United States is his home. Instead his seat remains empty,” said Mr. Ryan, Ohio Democrat.
He sent out a photo of the ticket Mr. Othman would have used: Gallery 10, Row B, Seat 16.
Mr. Ryan had been trying to delay Mr. Othman’s deportation to give him more time to fight.
The House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee immigration subcommittee had also asked for a delay while it pondered whether to pass a bill granting relief.
Under previous administrations that would have been enough to forestall deportation, but the Trump administration last year announced a new policy saying it would no longer strictly abide by those requests. Homeland Security said it felt the process had been abused, with lawmakers introducing relief bills that had little chance of passage, but that delayed deportations indefinitely.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.