“I thought I was going to die”: US citizen forced from her car by ICE
A widely circulated video showing federal immigration agents forcibly removing a woman from her car in Minneapolis has intensified scrutiny of ICE enforcement tactics during an ongoing federal crackdown in the region.
The woman, identified as Aliya Rahman, told the Associated Press that she was attempting to attend a medical appointment when her vehicle was surrounded by federal agents. Video footage appears to show agents breaking a car window, cutting her seatbelt, and pulling her from the vehicle as she remains seated.
Rahman said she was detained following the encounter and later required medical attention. Federal officials have defended the arrest, stating that agents were enforcing immigration laws and responding to what they described as interference with their operations. ICE has not released additional details, citing active enforcement matters.
The video has spread rapidly across social media platforms, drawing comparisons to other recent ICE encounters in Minneapolis, including a fatal shooting earlier this month, further adding to the local outrage via protests and prompted sharp criticism from local officials and civil rights advocates.
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In the wake of the arrest and the release of the widely shared video, the MacArthur Justice Center announced it will serve as legal counsel for Rahman as she seeks redress for what her attorneys describe as a “violent attack” by federal agents. Rahman was on her way to a medical appointment when masked federal agents dragged her from her vehicle, and that she identified herself as both autistic and disabled during the encounter. The MJC said investigators will pursue accountability for the injuries and trauma Rahman experienced at the Whipple Detention Center and during her emergency medical treatment, emphasizing that legal action is forthcoming after what she called an unjustified use of force by unidentified federal officers.
No charges related to the arrest have been announced. As federal operations continue in Minnesota, video evidence has become central to how the public evaluates ICE activity, shaping national debate in real time and amplifying pressure on federal agencies to explain their actions.
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