Several House Democrats have announced plans to bring guests connected to high-profile national controversies to President Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address, underscoring ongoing political tensions surrounding the release of documents tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as well as disputes over federal immigration enforcement. Lawmakers confirmed Monday that their invited guests will include alleged survivors of Epstein’s abuse and advocates pressing for broader transparency in the federal government’s handling of related investigative records. The decisions reflect a coordinated effort by some Democrats to use the nationally televised address to highlight issues they argue have not received sufficient public scrutiny, even as Republicans contend that the document release process has already demonstrated unprecedented transparency.
Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna and Robert Garcia of California confirmed they will attend the speech accompanied by women who have spoken publicly about surviving abuse by Epstein or who have advocated for full disclosure of investigative materials. Khanna said he will bring Haley Robson, who has described her experiences and called for accountability, while Garcia announced that Annie Farmer will join him as his guest. Farmer has long urged the federal government to make additional records public, arguing that survivors and the broader public deserve a complete accounting of how Epstein operated and who may have enabled him. By extending these invitations, the lawmakers signaled their intention to keep the issue of transparency at the forefront during one of the most prominent political events of the year.
Other Democrats are also participating in similar efforts. Several lawmakers have indicated they will bring family members of the late Virginia Roberts Giuffre and other survivors to emphasize concerns about the Justice Department’s management of the document release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Congress passed the legislation late last year with bipartisan support, and President Trump signed it into law shortly thereafter. Since then, approximately 3.5 million pages of materials connected to multiple Epstein investigations have been made public. Supporters of the administration argue that the release fulfills a campaign promise Trump made to declassify and publish the files, while critics maintain that key details remain redacted or undisclosed. Democrats note that they are seeking comprehensive transparency, framing the matter as one of institutional accountability rather than partisan advantage.
Immigration enforcement is also set to feature prominently in the guest lists of some Democratic members. Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar announced she will bring four guests to the address, including individuals she says were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during protests and unrest in Minnesota following the death of Renee Nicole Good. Among them is Aliya Rahman, who appeared in a widely circulated video that showed federal agents pulling her from her vehicle. According to reports from the New York Post, Omar’s guests will also include Mary Granlund, Mubashir Hussen, and Gerardo Orozco Guzman. In a press release, Omar described their stories as emblematic of what she characterized as “reckless actions” taken during an enforcement initiative known as Operation Metro Surge, arguing that such operations have harmed community trust and economic stability.
The invitations come as President Trump prepares to outline his policy priorities before a joint session of Congress, with expected themes including economic growth, national security, and immigration reform. In September, Haley Robson joined Khanna and Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie outside the U.S. Capitol to call for full disclosure of the Epstein files. During that appearance, Robson urged officials to ensure accountability for those connected to Epstein’s crimes. Khanna said at the time that survivors’ advocacy was about exposing what he described as a two-tiered system of justice and restoring faith in American institutions. The bipartisan presence at that event illustrated how the Epstein matter has, at times, drawn interest from lawmakers across the political spectrum, even as disagreements persist over the scope and timing of document releases.
Additional Democratic lawmakers have announced similar plans for the address. Virginia Rep. James Walkinshaw said he intends to invite Jess Michaels, who has alleged that Epstein sexually abused her in 1991 when she was 22 years old, according to local outlet WUSA9. Meanwhile, Reps. Suhas Subramanyan of Virginia and Jamie Raskin of Maryland stated they will bring relatives of Giuffre as their guests. Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers, died by suicide in 2025, a development that renewed public attention to the long-running case and its broader implications. Republican leaders, for their part, have invited Olympic athletes and families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, highlighting the wide range of issues lawmakers from both parties aim to spotlight during the annual address.
