Veteran Wrongfully Detained by ICE Invited to State of the Union Address
TL/DR –
Mark Takano, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member, invited George Retes, a U.S. citizen and disabled Army veteran who was detained by ICE, to the State of the Union. Representative Judy Chu announced that she will boycott the State of the Union Address to protest against President Trump’s cuts to healthcare coverage. Chu has invited Becky Roberts, a Virginian born with a dislocated hip, who has faced a 110% increase in her Affordable Care Act premium due to GOP’s elimination of enhanced premium tax credits, to share her story of making healthcare affordable.
Veteran U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE Invited to State of the Union
George Retes, a U.S. citizen and disabled Army veteran, was announced as the guest of House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) for the State of the Union on February 23. Retes served in Iraq before transitioning to civilian life as a Ventura County security guard.
In a large-scale federal immigration raid in July 2025, Retes was unlawfully detained by ICE agents while commuting to work. Despite his U.S. citizenship and veteran status, he was held for three days without charges, legal counsel, family contact, or medical care. His story exemplifies the difficulties faced by innocent people due to heavy-handed immigration policies.
Retes’ account was published in The San Francisco Chronicle, where he warned, “if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”
Rep. Judy Chu Boycotts State of the Union, Highlights Healthcare Cuts
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) announced on February 24 that she would boycott President Trump’s State of the Union Address. Instead, she planned to highlight the administration’s healthcare cuts. She criticized Trump’s first 13 months in office as a failure for Americans facing an affordability crisis.
Chu pointed to tariffs that increased costs for families and the implementation of policies that have slashed healthcare coverage for millions. She also criticized Trump’s decision to eliminate the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits, causing a 97% increase in premiums for Covered California plans.
Chu invited Becky Roberts, a Virginia Beach resident whose healthcare coverage was made unaffordable due to policy changes, to share her story. Roberts, born with a dislocated hip and facing mobility challenges, saw her ACA premium increase by 110% after GOP’s elimination of the ACA enhanced premium tax credits.
Several Congress Members Join Chu in Boycott
Rep. Dave Min (D-Costa Mesa) also announced his decision not to attend the State of the Union. Other AAPI members of Congress, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ami Bera (D-Sacramento), and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), joined the boycott.
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