Minneapolis citizen dragged from car by ICE sues, saying DHS ignored her claim

Aliya Rahman of Minneapolis sued the federal government on Tuesday, Nov. 10. She is a U.S. citizen who is autistic and lives with a traumatic brain injury. In January, immigration agents broke her car window and dragged her into the street while she was driving to a doctor's appointment ¹². She was never charged with a crime ¹².

The lawsuit accuses federal agents of assault, battery, false arrest and imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence ². It asks for compensatory damages, meaning money to make up for her physical and emotional injuries. News reports did not give a dollar amount ².

On tapeWCCO - CBS Minnesota · Nov 10

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency that arrests and deports immigrants, said it "does not comment on or discuss matters involving ongoing litigation" ¹.

What happened on Jan. 13

The arrest came during Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota ³. On Jan. 13, Rahman was driving to a doctor's appointment for her brain injury. Near Park Avenue and East 34th Street in Minneapolis, she ran into ICE agents blocking traffic ².

From Channel GOPAmy Klobuchar after her Minnesota governor winAmy Klobuchar · 144 plays · captioned, with the source named

The lawsuit says agents surrounded her car and shouted conflicting commands ². Videos show agents smashing her window and pulling her out even as she said she was a U.S. citizen. Four agents carried her to an unmarked SUV and took her to the Whipple Federal Building ¹.

I yelled, 'I'm disabled' at the hands grabbing at me, and an agent said, 'Too late,'

Rahman told agents she was disabled and asked for accommodations. The lawsuit says agents "responded by laughing and accusing Ms. Rahman of lying." It also says agents ignored her requests for a lawyer ².

On tapeFOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul · Nov 11

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Her condition got worse in custody. The suit says officers called 911 about 30 minutes after her cellmates warned them, and by then she was unresponsive ². She woke up at Hennepin County Medical Center ¹. NPR reported that she had a concussion ⁷.

The government's side

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, says agents were making an arrest when a large crowd gathered and got in their way. On X, the department called Rahman an "agitator" ².

In April a DHS spokesperson told WCCO-TV: "Any claim she was denied medical care is FALSE and just another smear" ³.

Aliya Rahman clearly had enough room to move herself and her vehicle out of the way.

DHS has pointed to a federal law that makes it a crime to impede federal officers ². Even so, Rahman was never charged over Jan. 13 ¹². Nor was she charged after she was removed from the House chamber in February. She was there as a guest of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, for President Trump's State of the Union address ³.

Ten months of using the government's own process

Rahman first went through official channels. In April, her lawyers at the MacArthur Justice Center, a civil rights law group, filed a claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act. That law lets people seek money from the federal government for harm caused by its employees, and the claim was a first step toward a lawsuit ³. In June, her lawyers also filed a civil rights complaint with DHS's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties ⁴.

Rahman says DHS never answered the April claim ². "We followed their process," said her attorney, Jessica Gingold. "They didn't respond. And so here we are today, taking them to court" ².

What happened to Aliya is not a result of just a couple of rogue officers

Gingold blamed what she called "a lawless and negligent government" ¹. Al Gerhardstein, Rahman's local lawyer, called the agents' behavior "outrageous and illegal" ¹.

Democrats heard her story in February

On Feb. 3, Rahman spoke at a public forum held by House and Senate Democrats at the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The forum was about what organizers called "violent tactics and disproportionate use of force" by DHS agents ⁶. She told them, "I now cannot lift my arms normally" ⁶. In the new lawsuit, she says her injuries will last the rest of her life ².

I had seen the video, Ms. Rahman, of what happened to you, but hearing your story is even more chilling,

Why this case matters

Analysis: This case is about as clear a test as the courts are likely to get. Rahman is a citizen. Her arrest was caught on video. She was never charged, and she has lawyers ready to go the distance. A judge will now decide whether the government has to answer for how its agents treated her, after months in which DHS's public answers were posts on social media.

She is not alone. MPR News reports that Quentin Williams, a teacher at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, and Jamie Martens, a nurse from St. Peter, have also sued or taken steps to sue over ICE conduct ¹. In February, NPR named other U.S. citizens who were detained in the Minnesota crackdown ⁷.

Concern goes beyond Democrats. Walter Olson of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, told NPR, "This is a systematic assault on constitutional rights" ⁷. Rahman says the deeper problem is older than this administration: "These things happened because it was already culturally normal for law enforcement to operate without accountability" ¹.

The Record

1. Jan 13, 2026ICE agents break Aliya Rahman's car window in Minneapolis, pull her out and detain her. She is later hospitalized and never charged ¹².
2. Feb 3, 2026Rahman describes her arrest at a forum held by House and Senate Democrats in the Dirksen Senate Office Building ⁶.
3. Apr 16, 2026Her lawyers file a Federal Tort Claims Act claim against DHS, ICE and Customs and Border Protection, a first step toward a lawsuit ³.
4. Jun 24, 2026Rahman files a civil rights complaint with DHS's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties ⁴.
5. Nov 10, 2026Rahman sues the federal government, accusing agents of assault, battery and false arrest ¹².

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<h2>Minneapolis citizen dragged from car by ICE sues, saying DHS ignored her claim</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Investigations Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/minneapolis-citizen-dragged-from-car-by-ice-sues-saying-dhs-ignored-her-claim">The GOP Files</a> on Thursday, November 12, 2026.</em></p> <p>Aliya Rahman of Minneapolis sued the federal government on Tuesday, Nov. 10. She is a U.S. citizen who is autistic and lives with a traumatic brain injury. In January, immigration agents broke her car window and dragged her into the street while she was driving to a doctor&#39;s appointment . She was never charged with a crime .</p> <p>The lawsuit accuses federal agents of assault, battery, false arrest and imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence . It asks for compensatory damages, meaning money to make up for her physical and emotional injuries. News reports did not give a dollar amount .</p> <p>Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency that arrests and deports immigrants, said it &quot;does not comment on or discuss matters involving ongoing litigation&quot; .</p> <h2>What happened on Jan. 13</h2> <p>The arrest came during Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota . On Jan. 13, Rahman was driving to a doctor&#39;s appointment for her brain injury. Near Park Avenue and East 34th Street in Minneapolis, she ran into ICE agents blocking traffic .</p> <p>The lawsuit says agents surrounded her car and shouted conflicting commands . Videos show agents smashing her window and pulling her out even as she said she was a U.S. citizen. Four agents carried her to an unmarked SUV and took her to the Whipple Federal Building .</p> <blockquote><p>I yelled, &#39;I&#39;m disabled&#39; at the hands grabbing at me, and an agent said, &#39;Too late,&#39;</p><p>&mdash; Aliya Rahman, Minneapolis resident and plaintiff, testifying at a Democratic forum</p></blockquote> <p>Rahman told agents she was disabled and asked for accommodations. The lawsuit says agents &quot;responded by laughing and accusing Ms. Rahman of lying.&quot; It also says agents ignored her requests for a lawyer .</p> <p>Her condition got worse in custody. The suit says officers called 911 about 30 minutes after her cellmates warned them, and by then she was unresponsive . She woke up at Hennepin County Medical Center . NPR reported that she had a concussion .</p> <h2>The government&#39;s side</h2> <p>The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, says agents were making an arrest when a large crowd gathered and got in their way. On X, the department called Rahman an &quot;agitator&quot; .</p> <p>In April a DHS spokesperson told WCCO-TV: &quot;Any claim she was denied medical care is FALSE and just another smear&quot; .</p> <blockquote><p>Aliya Rahman clearly had enough room to move herself and her vehicle out of the way.</p><p>&mdash; Department of Homeland Security, Trump administration statement, February 2026</p></blockquote> <p>DHS has pointed to a federal law that makes it a crime to impede federal officers . Even so, Rahman was never charged over Jan. 13 . Nor was she charged after she was removed from the House chamber in February. She was there as a guest of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, for President Trump&#39;s State of the Union address .</p> <h2>Ten months of using the government&#39;s own process</h2> <p>Rahman first went through official channels. In April, her lawyers at the MacArthur Justice Center, a civil rights law group, filed a claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act. That law lets people seek money from the federal government for harm caused by its employees, and the claim was a first step toward a lawsuit . In June, her lawyers also filed a civil rights complaint with DHS&#39;s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties .</p> <p>Rahman says DHS never answered the April claim . &quot;We followed their process,&quot; said her attorney, Jessica Gingold. &quot;They didn&#39;t respond. And so here we are today, taking them to court&quot; .</p> <blockquote><p>What happened to Aliya is not a result of just a couple of rogue officers</p><p>&mdash; Jessica Gingold, senior counsel, MacArthur Justice Center</p></blockquote> <p>Gingold blamed what she called &quot;a lawless and negligent government&quot; . Al Gerhardstein, Rahman&#39;s local lawyer, called the agents&#39; behavior &quot;outrageous and illegal&quot; .</p> <h2>Democrats heard her story in February</h2> <p>On Feb. 3, Rahman spoke at a public forum held by House and Senate Democrats at the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The forum was about what organizers called &quot;violent tactics and disproportionate use of force&quot; by DHS agents . She told them, &quot;I now cannot lift my arms normally&quot; . In the new lawsuit, she says her injuries will last the rest of her life .</p> <blockquote><p>I had seen the video, Ms. Rahman, of what happened to you, but hearing your story is even more chilling,</p><p>&mdash; Amy Klobuchar, U.S. senator, D-Minn.</p></blockquote> <h2>Why this case matters</h2> <p>Analysis: This case is about as clear a test as the courts are likely to get. Rahman is a citizen. Her arrest was caught on video. She was never charged, and she has lawyers ready to go the distance. A judge will now decide whether the government has to answer for how its agents treated her, after months in which DHS&#39;s public answers were posts on social media.</p> <p>She is not alone. MPR News reports that Quentin Williams, a teacher at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, and Jamie Martens, a nurse from St. Peter, have also sued or taken steps to sue over ICE conduct . In February, NPR named other U.S. citizens who were detained in the Minnesota crackdown .</p> <p>Concern goes beyond Democrats. Walter Olson of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, told NPR, &quot;This is a systematic assault on constitutional rights&quot; . Rahman says the deeper problem is older than this administration: &quot;These things happened because it was already culturally normal for law enforcement to operate without accountability&quot; .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/minneapolis-citizen-dragged-from-car-by-ice-sues-saying-dhs-ignored-her-claim">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/minneapolis-citizen-dragged-from-car-by-ice-sues-saying-dhs-ignored-her-claim.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. MPR News, “Minneapolis woman dragged from car by ICE agents sues federal government” (2026-11-10). mprnews.org/story/2026/11/10/aliya-rahman-sues-feds-after-be
2. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, “Minneapolis woman dragged from car by ICE agents sues feds over arrest” (2026-11-10). fox9.com/news/minneapolis-woman-dragged-from-car-ice-agents-
3. CBS News Minnesota, “Minnesota woman ICE pulled from car during arrest files claim against feds” (2026-04-17). cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/aliya-rahman-ice-arrest-claim/
4. MPR News, “Woman whose arrest by feds during surge was subject of viral video files civil rights complaint” (2026-06-24). mprnews.org/story/2026/06/24/woman-arrested-in-federal-surge
5. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, “Testimony: Minnesota woman with disabilities detained during ICE surge” (2026-02-04). fox9.com/news/testimony-minnesota-woman-disabilities-detaine
6. TheGrio, “Disabled, autistic woman details alleged abuse by ICE, centers Black communities historically abused by police” (2026-02-04). thegrio.com/2026/02/04/disabled-autistic-woman-details-alleg
7. NPR (via Texas Public Radio), “Minnesota citizens detained by ICE are left rattled, even weeks later” (2026-02-01). tpr.org/2026-02-01/minnesota-citizens-detained-by-ice-are-le

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