An autistic woman who was pulled from her car during an ICE protest says federal agents mocked her disabilities after arresting her, according to a lawsuit.
Aliya Rahman is suing the federal government, alleging that agents violated her rights during her January arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The incident was captured in a video that later went viral.
As four masked officers detained her, Rahman was heard shouting: “I’m disabled, I’m trying to go to the doctor up there.”
Rahman addressed reporters at a press conference on Tuesday about her lawsuit, which alleges eight tort claims against the agents.
The claims include assault, battery, false arrest and imprisonment, along with negligence. The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount in damages.
“This didn’t change my worldview, but it definitely changed everything about how I move around the world,” Rahman said. “I’m still dealing with lasting injuries.”
She said she hopes the case will support others who allege they experienced misconduct during what ICE called “Operation Metro Surge.”
Her attorneys said they filed an administrative claim against the government in April. After receiving no response, they proceeded with the lawsuit.
Aliya Rahman is suing the federal government, alleging that agents violated her rights during her January arrest
Rahman was dragged away in handcuffs after at least three male officials pushed her against the car and arrested her
Her attorney, Jessica Gingold, said: “What happened to Aliya is not the result of just a couple of rogue officers.”
“It is the result of a lawless and negligent government encouraging and egging on officers who were recklessly and systemically violating the rights of individuals.”
Video from the scene showed Rahman in the driver’s seat of her Ford Fusion during a heated exchange with ICE agents in backed-up traffic.
A masked officer repeatedly told her to “move, go” while pointing toward the unobstructed road ahead of the car, apparently indicating that she could drive away from the scene.
The federal agent then reached inside the vehicle and grabbed at Rahman’s seat belt.
Rahman drove forward a few feet. No officers appeared to be blocking her path, and it seemed she might have been permitted to leave.
She then braked, while a masked officer gestured for her to continue moving. It was unclear whether he was instructing her to drive away or pull the car over.
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As the camera moved back, another officer could be seen gesturing once again for Rahman to move the vehicle away from the scene.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Rahman answered questions about her lawsuit, which alleges eight tort claims against the agents
A masked officer standing near the right side of the Ford smashed the front passenger window. Rahman began driving the sedan away, but agents surrounded the vehicle
Rahman did not follow the officer’s command and was again told to move away from the area.
Seconds later, a different masked officer standing near the Ford’s right side smashed the front passenger window. Rahman was then arrested.
In the weeks that followed, Rahman told the Star Tribune that she had struggled to raise her arms because she said her shoulder tendons had been torn.
She alleged that the injuries resulted from agents lifting her by her limbs. She also said she continued to experience post-traumatic stress disorder.
In her new lawsuit, Rahman further alleges that agents mocked her disabilities. She says that while in a cell, she experienced “severe head pain” and “blurred vision” before losing consciousness.
According to her complaint, agents waited about 30 minutes after her cellmate reported that she was unresponsive before calling for emergency assistance.
An ICE spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “ICE does not comment on or discuss matters involving ongoing litigation.”
Rahman, pictured, is a US-born citizen, technologist and social justice trainer who works on LGBTQ, immigrant and racial justice issues
Rahman, who was born in the United States, is a technologist and social justice trainer involved in LGBTQ and racial justice causes, according to her Tech for Social Justice profile.
The registered Democrat became deeply involved in activism while studying aeronautical engineering at Purdue University, after two of her cousins were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Rahman identifies as genderqueer. She was dating a transgender man at the time and said the culture in rural Indiana made advocacy work a “necessity” for her.
The Daily Mail previously reported that the arrest was not Rahman’s first encounter with law enforcement, as she had several prior interactions with police.
Her first traffic-related offense came in 2009, when she was charged in Illinois with driving without insurance. It is unclear how that case was resolved or whether Rahman was convicted or acquitted.
Ohio public records show that she was charged with driving under the influence in 2010 and pleaded guilty.
She was later found guilty of following too closely, improperly stopping at a stop sign, criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct.
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