Fresh allegations have emerged surrounding the controversial detention of a Somali-American woman in Minneapolis, presenting a starkly different account from her initial claims of being kidnapped by immigration officials.
Contradictory Accounts Surface
Nasra Ahmed, a 23-year-old US citizen of Somali descent, gained national attention after stating she was forcibly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during an operation on January 14. However, newly released court documents allege Ahmed actively assaulted officers during the encounter.
Detailed Allegations of Assault
According to a criminal complaint obtained by the Daily Mail, Ahmed is accused of approaching ICE officers during their operation and shouting obscenities at them. The documents state that one officer witnessed Ahmed raise her arm and make a throwing motion, later discovering she had launched an egg that struck another agent's leg.
When agents moved to arrest her, the affidavit claims Ahmed was non-compliant and allegedly spat directly into one officer's face. One agent reportedly recorded the struggle on video, with an observer of the footage claiming Ahmed stated "I have zero regrets" during the altercation.
Ahmed's Original Claims and Public Response
Ahmed had previously claimed that ICE agents shoved her to the ground during her detention while using racial slurs. In a video that circulated widely on social media, Ahmed addressed the Minnesota State Capitol press briefing room on January 21 while visibly wearing bandages.
She told reporters she was experiencing difficulty speaking due to a concussion she alleged was caused by the agents. During her emotional statement, Ahmed expressed pride in her Somali heritage, stating: "I'm Somali, I'm proud to be Somali. To me, being Somali isn't just eating bananas with rice. It's very hard to describe what it means to be Somali and what it means to be American."
Ahmed further described her identity as "a cultural fusion, like the bananas and rice" and claimed she was arrested alongside another US citizen while federal agents were pursuing two Somali men.
Legal Response and Broader Context
Ahmed's lawyer has dismissed the new allegations as "not true" in a statement to the Daily Mail, though no further context or evidence was provided to counter the claims. The 23-year-old, who was born in the United States and reportedly had no prior criminal record, faces charges of "assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees."
The incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions in Minneapolis following the killing of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the arrests of 16 individuals in Minnesota, including Ahmed, posting their pictures and names on social media platform X.
"I am on the ground in Minneapolis today," Bondi wrote. "Federal agents have arrested 16 Minnesota rioters for allegedly assaulting federal law enforcement — people who have been resisting and impeding our federal law enforcement agents. We expect more arrests to come. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: NOTHING will stop President Trump and this Department of Justice from enforcing the law."
Ahmed's case has become emblematic of broader debates surrounding immigration enforcement, with her detention occurring the same day protesters gathered in front of the Minnesota State Capitol following Pretti's death. The conflicting narratives continue to fuel discussions about law enforcement practices, immigrant rights, and accountability in contentious encounters between citizens and federal agents.
