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What Happened to Aliya Rahman

Floor Speech

Date: Feb. 4, 2026
Location: Washington, DC

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Ms. BALINT. Mr. Speaker, what happened to Aliya Rahman is chilling, and it is a warning for all of us.

Aliya is a U.S. citizen. She is a software engineer. She identifies as disabled, autistic, and as someone suffering from a traumatic brain injury.

On her way to a doctor's appointment, she was stopped by ICE. They screamed conflicting orders at her, dragged her from her car, and carried her while she screamed: I am autistic. I am disabled. She said: Please, I am disabled.

It didn't matter. She was denied medical care. She lost consciousness in detention. She suffered a concussion. She had to be taken out in an ambulance.

Mr. Speaker, this is not about immigration enforcement. This is not about public safety. Aliya was a victim of terror at the hands of her own government.

We owe Aliya and all Americans real accountability, and I will not stop demanding it on the floor of this House. It is repugnant, absolutely disgusting what happened to her, and she is not the only one.

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