Minneapolis activist yanked from car after ignoring ICE's orders to leave scene of protest files legal claim saying arrest has left her barely able to lift her ARMS

Published: 23:50, 16 April 2026 | Updated: 23:58, 16 April 2026 An activist who was pulled from her car in Minneapolis after ignoring repeated demands from ICE agents to leave the scene of a protest has filed a legal claim against the federal government. Aliya Rahman, 42, a social justice trainer, was allegedly blocking ICE agents working to capture illegals in Minneapolis on January 13 when officers pulled her from her black Ford Fusion as she desperately clung to the driver's side door. Dramatic video of the arrest showed her crying out 'I'm disabled, I'm trying to go to the doctor up there' as four masked officers dragged her into a federal vehicle. Photos of her arrest later made international news.  Rahman, a US citizen who is autistic and who had previously sustained a traumatic brain injury in 2024, is now arguing that officers used excessive force and violated her constitutional rights in a tort filed against the Department of Homeland Security, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. It now has the potential to become a lawsuit if the government does not respond within six months, or if it disputes the claim.  Attorneys from two different law firms representing Rahman said in a news release that they filed the tort because she suffered 'brutal assault and unjust and inhumane detention.' The tort claims agents were giving her misleading instructions as she sat in her Ford Fusion that day, with some yelling at her to drive away from the protesters and agents while others yelled at her to 'get out' of the vehicle.  In video from the scene, Rahman could be seen in the driver's seat of her Ford Fusion during a heated argument with ICE agents in standstill traffic. Aliya Rahman, 42, a social justice trainer, has filed a tort against the Department of Homeland Security. It has the potential to become a lawsuit if the government does not respond within six months, or if it disputes the claim ICE agents in Minneapolis were seen pulling Rahman from her Ford Fusion as she desperately clung onto the driver's side door on January 13 Rahman was heard shouting 'I'm disabled, I'm trying to go to the doctor up there' as masked agents dragged her into federal custody  A masked officer repeatedly tells her to 'move, go' and points at unobstructed road just in front of her car, which would enable her to drive away from the scene. The federal agent is then seen reaching inside the car and grabbing at her seat belt. At that point, Rahman drove forward a few feet. There were no officers obstructing her path and it appeared she would have been allowed to leave the scene.  But she then hit the brakes and a masked cop could be seen directing her to move forward - it is unclear if he wanted her to drive off or pull her car over. The camera pulls back and an officer can again be seen gesturing her to move her car away from the scene. Rahman does not comply with his command and is again directed to move away from the scene. A second later, a different masked officer - standing near the right hand side of the Ford - smashes the front passenger window. Rahman began to drive the sedan away, but multiple officials surrounded the vehicle and detained her. As at least three male officials shoved her against the car and handcuffed her, distressed protesters were heard shouting, begging them to stop. Rahman was allegedly blocking ICE agents working to capture illegal immigrants in Minneapolis when officers pulled her from her vehicle A masked officer - standing near the right hand side of the Ford - smashed the front passenger window of Rahman's car to pull her out When Rahman was then taken to jail, she was denied medical treatment as she began to have slurred speech and blurry vision due to the stress combined with her pre-existing brain injury, the tort alleges. Eventually, she claimed she passed out on the floor of her cell, before being released from custody and taken to a local emergency room. For weeks after, Rahman told the Star Tribune she was struggling to lift her arms because her shoulder tendons were torn when agents picked her up by her limbs, and continued to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Chisato Kimura, one attorney representing Rahman in the filing, described the experiences her client faced as 'horrific.' 'What happened to her should have never happened to anyone, regardless of citizenship, let alone someone who's living their day-to-day life and literally trying to go to a doctor's appointment,' Kimura said. She added that she is motivated to show the 'inhumane and brutal conditions that the officers subjected Rahman to when they detained her at [the] Whipple Federal Building.'  Al Gerhardstein, another attorney representing Rahman, also said it is one of dozens of cases he and other lawyers across the country are looking into for potential tort claims about how Minnesotans were treated by federal agents during the ICE raids. Rahman, (pictured) is a US-born citizen. She is a technologist and social justice trainer who dedicates her time to LBGTQ, immigrant and racial injustice causes, the Daily Mail revealed He said he believes it is 'so important' to bring as many claims as possible while similar detainments continue to take place. 'We really hope that we'll be able to show that this should never happen again and see opportunities for reform,' Gerhardstein said of his reason for filing the tort.  But ICE accused Rahman back in February of 'impeding or interfering with federal officers' by not driving away from the scene of the protest on East 34th Street, though she was never charged with any wrongdoing. In a statement to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security reiterated that argument. 'As officers carried out their law enforcement duties, a significant crowd surrounded them and began impeding law enforcement operations— a federal crime,' the spokesperson said, noting that Rahman 'ignored multiple commands by an officer to move her vehicle away from the scene [and] she was arrested for obstruction.  'Any claim she was denied medical care is FALSE and just another smear leading to a 1,300 percent increase in assaults and 3,300 percent increase in vehicular attacks,' the spokesperson continued. 'Reminder: Obstruction of law enforcement is a federal crime and a felony.' Rahman (pictured outside the White House in June 2015) is a registered Democrat and has dedicated her life to activism. She said she knew she was 'definitely different' and 'queer as hell' by the age of six She was later arrested by Capitol Police after she stood up in silent protest during President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in February Records obtained by the Daily Mail also showed that Rahman, whose profile shows she dedicates her time to LGBTQ and racial injustice causes, has had several other run-ins with the law. Her first traffic offense was in 2009 when she was charged with driving without insurance in Illinois. It is unclear how the allegation was resolved and if Rahman was convicted or acquitted. She was then charged with driving under the influence in 2010, which she pled guilty to, Ohio public records showed, and was later found guilty of following too close, stopping improperly at a stop sign, criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. Rahman was then arrested once again by Capitol Police after she stood up in silent protest during President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in February. The registered Democrat has said she threw herself into activism work while studying aeronautical engineering at Purdue University after two of her cousins were killed in the 9/11 terror attacks.  Rahman, who identifies as being genderqueer, was dating a transgender man at the time and claimed that due to the culture in rural Indiana, it was a 'necessity' that she became involved in advocacy work. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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