In a dramatic early-morning operation that sent shockwaves across campus, Elmina “Ellie” Aghayeva, a student at Columbia University, was detained by federal immigration agents after they allegedly misrepresented themselves to gain entry into a university residential building.
Condemning the action, Acting President Claire Shipman described the episode as a “frightening and fast-moving situation” and a clear “breach of protocol.”
“We are all so relieved that our student, Ellie Aghayeva, has been released from federal custody,” Shipman said in a statement Thursday evening.
“Misrepresenting identity and other facts to gain access to a residential building is a breach of protocol,” she added.
The student later confirmed her release in a social media post, writing, “I am safe and okay.”
How DHS agents entered the residential building
According to Shipman, shortly after 6:00 a.m., five agents from the United States Department of Homeland Security entered an off-campus Columbia residential building without presenting a judicial warrant.
The agents allegedly identified themselves as police officers searching for a missing child in order to gain entry. Security footage reportedly captured them in the hallway showing pictures of an alleged missing minor.
“They gained entry by stating they were police searching for a missing child,” Shipman said. “Once inside the apartment, it became clear they had misrepresented themselves.”
A public safety officer who arrived at the scene repeatedly asked for a warrant, but none was produced, she said. The agents did not allow time for further verification and took the student into custody.
University officials later reiterated that all law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), must have a judicial warrant or subpoena to access non-public university spaces, including housing and classrooms. An administrative warrant, Shipman stressed, is not sufficient.
The detention and mounting outrage
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed the arrest of Aghayeva, describing her as an Azerbaijani national whose student visa had allegedly been revoked in 2016 for failing to attend classes.
The detention sparked swift political and public reaction. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus, holding anti-ICE signs and protesting what they called deceptive enforcement tactics.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticised what she termed a “rogue deportation agenda,” saying no student should be taken from their dorm through deception.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he raised the issue directly with President Donald Trump following a meeting at the White House.
How was she released
Hours after the detention, Mamdani posted on social media that he had spoken to Trump and that Aghayeva would be released “imminently.”
Soon after, Aghayeva confirmed in an Instagram story that she had been freed and was “on the way back home” in an Uber. “I got out a little while ago,” she wrote. “I am safe and okay.”
Shipman said the university immediately began working to secure the student’s release and expressed gratitude for support from city and state leaders.
“We understand the fear and anger this situation has caused,” she said, adding that Columbia has shared additional guidance and resources with students, faculty and staff.
In her closing remarks, Shipman emphasised that the university expects all law enforcement agencies to follow established legal and ethical standards.
“All law enforcement agencies — including DHS and ICE — are obligated to follow established legal and ethical standards. And we expect those standards to be respected,” she said.
“Our thoughts are with Ellie, her roommate, and all of the affected students and staff tonight.”
The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions at Columbia, which has faced federal scrutiny following campus protests and disputes over immigration enforcement and student activism.
