Woman whose arrest by feds during surge was subject of viral video files civil rights complaint
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A Minneapolis woman has filed a civil rights complaint against the Department of Homeland Security, alleging federal agents assaulted her, arrested her without cause and failed to accommodate her disabilities during an encounter in January.
Attorneys for Aliya Rahman filed the complaint Wednesday with DHS's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. The complaint alleges violations of Rahman's constitutional rights, disability protections under federal law and DHS policies.
Jessica Gingold, a senior counsel with the MacArthur Justice Center, said Rahman was driving to a doctor's appointment on Jan. 13 when she encountered federal agents near East 34th Street and Park Avenue in Minneapolis.
"She wasn't there to protest, she wasn't part of any uprising there. She was just trying to get to her doctor appointment," Gingold said.
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Following the arrest, ICE posted on a social media site that Rahman was impeding agents’ work and did not leave the scene when told to do so.
According to the complaint, agents shattered Rahman's vehicle window, pulled her from her car and detained her. Gingold said Rahman repeatedly told officers she had a disability.
The complaint alleges agents failed to provide accommodations related to Rahman's autism and traumatic brain injury and ignored requests for medical attention while she was detained.
"It's not until she is unconscious on her cell floor with her cell mate desperately begging for medical attention that she receives medical attention," Gingold said.
Rahman, who is a U.S. citizen, was later taken to a hospital and was released without being charged, according to her attorneys.
Gingold said the complaint is intended to push DHS to investigate the incident and address broader concerns about accountability.
"We want to use every tool that is available to hold DHS and their federal officers accountable," she said.
In addition to the civil rights complaint, Rahman's attorneys say they are pursuing a claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which could lead to federal litigation.
