A woman who is a U.S. citizen and was en route to a medical appointment in Minneapolis encountered immigration officers who forcibly removed her from her vehicle and detained her, as reported in a statement by the woman herself on Thursday. The incident, captured in a viral video of her arrest, has sparked widespread attention on social media.
Identified as Aliya Rahman, she recounted being taken to a detention center where she was allegedly denied medical treatment and later lost consciousness. The Department of Homeland Security described her as a troublemaker who was impeding ICE agents in their arrest operations in the vicinity.
The video of Rahman’s arrest is part of a series of online content illustrating a heightened immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, with federal agents making numerous arrests amidst protests against what local authorities have referred to as a “federal invasion.”
Rahman stated that she was heading to a routine appointment at the Traumatic Brain Injury Center when she encountered immigration agents at an intersection. The video footage shows agents commanding her amidst a chaotic scene of whistles, car horns, and protest noises.
In the video, one masked agent is seen breaking Rahman’s car window while others forcibly remove her from the vehicle. Subsequently, guards carried her towards an ICE vehicle after cutting her seatbelt.
Rahman expressed her disability and reason for not complying with the officers, mentioning that she was on her way to seek medical care. Her attorney, Alexa Van Brunt of the MacArthur Justice Center, described Rahman’s predicament as distressing and highlighted the lack of viable options for her during the encounter.
The Department of Homeland Security contradicted Rahman’s version of events, asserting that she disregarded commands to move her vehicle away from the scene. She was taken into custody along with six other individuals labeled as agitators, with one accused of assaulting an officer.
Numerous videos depicting similar incidents have circulated online, attracting millions of views and sparking debates between official accounts and eyewitness testimonies. These recordings often capture scenes of protesters clashing with immigration officers, leading to arrests and confrontations.
Rahman emphasized feeling fortunate to have survived the ordeal, despite enduring mistreatment and being denied medical attention during her detention. Following her release from the hospital, where she was treated for injuries consistent with an assault, Rahman expressed gratitude towards the medical staff for their care and support.