A week after the tragic death of Minneapolis woman Renee Good, who was killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in what was called self-defense, another disturbing incident has captured national attention. Video footage showing 42-year-old Aliya Rahman being forcibly hauled by ICE agents in Minneapolis has gone viral, making headlines around the world.
Confrontation with ICE Agents
Similar to Renee Good, Aliya Rahman faced accusations of blocking ICE agents during their operations. Witnesses report that Rahman loudly protested her detention, shouting that she was disabled and urgently needed to visit a doctor. Despite her pleas, agents detained her on the spot.
She was later released from custody. The Donald Trump administration, according to multiple reports, decided not to press any formal charges against her. Officials also omitted her name from their official statements regarding the incident.
Official Statement from Authorities
In their official response, the administration provided a different account. "As officers carried out their law enforcement duties, a significant crowd surrounded them and began impeding law enforcement operations," the statement read.
"One agitator ignored multiple commands by an officer to move her vehicle away from the scene, she was arrested for obstruction. Another agitator assaulted an officer by jumping on his back. Six of these agitators were taken into custody for assaulting law enforcement," the administration added, without specifically naming Rahman.
Who is Aliya Rahman?
Details about Aliya Rahman emerged quickly because she is a well-known activist and a registered Democrat. Publicly available information reveals her background and personal story.
Rahman was born in the United States to a mother from Wisconsin and a Bengali father from Bangladesh. Her family relocated to Bangladesh during her childhood, where she grew up before returning to the US for higher education.
She identifies as queer, which she cites as a key reason for returning to America, since homosexuality remains punishable by law in Bangladesh. Her activism began during the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
Currently, Rahman lives in Minnesota and works remotely as a software engineering manager for a real estate company based in New Jersey.
Previous Legal Encounters
Reports from the Daily Mail indicate that this recent ICE incident is not Rahman's first encounter with law enforcement. She previously pled guilty to criminal trespassing charges in Ohio and has accumulated multiple traffic violations over the years.
Her traffic record includes:
- A 2009 charge in Illinois for driving without insurance.
- A 2010 charge for driving under the influence, to which she pled guilty.
These past incidents add complexity to her public profile as an activist.
