Several Mass. residents invited to attend congressional address with lawmakers

BOSTON — U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has invited a refugee from Iraq to accompany her to President Donald Trump's first address to a joint session of Congress.

The Massachusetts Democrat says Tiba Faraj will be her guest at Tuesday's speech by the Republican president.

Warren says Faraj arrived in Massachusetts in 2010 with her parents and sibling after a journey spanning seven years and thousands of miles. She became an American citizen last year.

Faraj's journey began in 2006 when her father was shot and disabled after working for an American-backed development organization in Iraq.

The family fled to Jordan and was granted admission to the U.S. after a lengthy screening process. They live in Boston. Faraj studies accounting at UMass-Dartmouth.

Warren says Faraj's courage, resilience and optimism embody the American spirit.

U.S. Rep Niki Tsongas, who represents Massachusetts' 3rd Congressional District, will be bringing Susan West Levin, the CEO of the Lowell Community Health Center to the address.

"I'm absolutely ecstatic to witness Democracy in action," West Levine said.

The Lowell Community Health Center serves a large immigrant population, Many are Cambodian or Hispanic, but some patients come from countries were President Trump has been working to temporarily ban immigration like Syria and Iraq.

"Some of our patients are coming in and expressing some fear and anxiety about what the future holds for them in terms of health insurance coverage," West Levine said.

FOX25's Blair Miller was the only Boston reporter at a dinner with President Trump Tuesday night previewing the address. Look for his live reports from Washington all day Tuesday.

Associated Press