Testimony: Minnesota woman with disabilities detained during ICE surge

Testimony: Minnesota woman with disabilities detained during ICE surge

A Minnesota woman with autism and a traumatic brain injury shared her troubling experience of being detained during an ICE operation. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has the story.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minnesota woman with autism and a traumatic brain injury shared her troubling experience of being detained during an ICE operation.

Aliya Rahman shares her story

What we know:

Aliya Rahman was on her way to a doctor's appointment – her 39th for TBI -- when she encountered a chaotic traffic stop. She says she tried to comply with agents' demands but ended up with her car window broken and being forcibly removed from her vehicle.

Rahman recounted, "I had not wanted to pull into a blocked, chaotic intersection, but verbally agreed to do so and rolled down my window after an agent yelled, ‘Move! I will break your effing window!’"

Rahman was dragged out of her car and says she experienced severe pain when agents pinned her to the ground. "Shooting pain went through my head, neck, and wrists when I hit the ground face first and people leaned on my back," she said.

She was eventually placed in an SUV, and her ordeal was captured on a video that went viral. Rahman later testified about her experience in Washington, D.C.

Lawmakers respond

Sen. Amy Klobuchar expressed her concern after hearing Rahman's testimony. "I had seen the video, Ms. Rahman, of what happened to you, but hearing your story is even more chilling," said Klobuchar.

Rahman described further mistreatment at the detention center, where she says agents mocked her and denied her medical assistance.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear why Rahman has not been charged with any crime despite being characterized by the Department of Homeland Security as an agitator who impeded agents.