Overview
- Ahmed Ahmed filed a civil complaint in mid‑June that accuses San Mateo County jail deputies of assault, sexual battery, torture and denial of counsel and seeks unspecified damages.
- The suit says Ahmed was arrested after a dispute at San Francisco International Airport on Sept. 27, 2025, held about 21 hours at Maguire Correctional Facility and released the next day without charges.
- Ahmed alleges deputies beat him while he was handcuffed, broke his wrist, elbow and a rib, strapped him to a chair with a hood over his head, tried to remove his pants and held him in isolation without food, water or bathroom access.
- The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the complaint, said an internal 2025 review disputes Ahmed’s account, asserted the initial booking was by an outside agency for public intoxication and said it will respond through the legal process.
- Ahmed’s attorneys say the case raises questions about hiring, training and oversight at the jail and about racial profiling of Arab and Muslim travelers, and they plan to use litigation to seek accountability and reforms.