Democratic Rep. Jill Tokuda addressed a question from a constituent during a public discussion about her decision not to stand during a moment at the State of the Union when members of Congress were asked to show support for a statement about prioritizing American citizens.

The exchange occurred after a constituent identified as Arlene asked Tokuda to explain why she remained seated during the moment.

Arlene referenced a question posed during the address in which lawmakers were asked to stand if they supported a specific statement about the role of the U.S. government.

"State of the Union last month, there was a question from the president asked of all the congressional members in the audience, and they asked everyone to stand if they were in agreement with this statement," Arlene said.

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She continued by quoting the statement presented to members of Congress during the address.

"And the statement was the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. I'm quoting that, and I noticed you did not stand, and I'd like to know your reasoning, why you did not stand?"

Tokuda responded to the question by thanking the constituent and explaining the reasoning behind her decision during the event.

"Thank you, Arlene, and I appreciate that we don't always get easy questions, and we shouldn't just get easy questions at these events," Tokuda said.

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She said her decision during the State of the Union was based on how she interpreted the intent behind the moment.

"But that decision was easy for me at the State of the Union," Tokuda said.

Tokuda explained that she believed the request for lawmakers to stand was not intended as a genuine policy question but rather as a political tactic.

"If it had been a genuine question, a true question, not a ploy to be able to put on some commercial later on to say, look at all those Democrats who don't believe in protecting Americans of the Constitution, I absolutely would have stand."

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The exchange highlighted ongoing debate among lawmakers and constituents about immigration policy and the responsibilities of the federal government.

Questions about immigration enforcement, border policy, and how federal agencies prioritize the protection of American citizens continue to be a central topic in political discussions across the country.

Tokuda’s response addressed the specific moment during the State of the Union while emphasizing that she viewed the question posed during the address as political in nature rather than a direct inquiry about policy positions.

The conversation between Tokuda and the constituent occurred during a forum where community members were able to ask questions about issues raised during the recent State of the Union address and about decisions made by elected officials during that event.

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