A Columbia University student was detained by federal agents Thursday morning at a residential building and released later that afternoon.
The student, identified as Elmina “Ellie” Aghayeva, posted on social media that she was “safe and okay” but “in complete shock.” Hundreds of people attended a peaceful protest at Columbia that afternoon, and politicians across New York condemned the detention.
Columbia University said it was “relieved and thrilled” that the student had been released and said it would provide more details.
Allegations of misrepresentation
Acting Columbia president Claire Shipman said in a video message that around 6:00 a.m., five Department of Homeland Security agents entered an off‑campus Columbia residential building without a warrant. She said the agents gained entry by telling building occupants they were police searching for a missing child and showed pictures of the alleged missing child on security cameras. Shipman said the public safety officer asked multiple times for a warrant, which was not produced.
Students said the agents told residents they were looking for a missing person to gain access. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal claimed agents “impersonated NYPD with fake badges and a phony missing persons bulletin for a 5 year old girl,” calling the civil rights violations “staggering.”
The Department of Homeland Security refuted impersonation allegations, saying the building manager and a roommate let officers into the apartment, that Homeland Security Investigations verbally identified themselves and wore badges, and that they did not identify themselves as NYPD. DHS told CBS News that ICE agents arrested Aghayeva, who is from Azerbaijan, and that her student visa was revoked in 2016 “for failing to attend classes.”
The NYPD said it had “no coordination in civil immigration enforcement, no involvement whatsoever” in the incident.
“I am safe and okay”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was in Washington, D.C., said he spoke with President Trump, who told him the student would be “released imminently.” Aghayeva later posted that she had been released and returned to her Columbia housing nearly 12 hours after being taken. DHS said she was placed in removal proceedings and is awaiting a hearing.
Responses from officials and lawmakers
Gov. Kathy Hochul called the entry into student housing under false pretenses “a gross abuse of power” and said New York would act to prevent similar incidents, urging passage of a bill to ban ICE from entering sensitive locations like schools and dorms. She also posted “Fire Kristie Noem.”
Rep. Adriano Espaillat and other officials decried the alleged impersonation and misuse of authority, saying such actions harm community trust and public safety. Sen. Chuck Schumer called the entry unacceptable, and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams called it “despicable and lawless.” Rep. Jerry Nadler and Assemblymember Micah Lasher said ICE has “no place in our City, schools, and homes” and condemned misrepresentation to gain entry.
Columbia actions and guidance
Columbia said it has increased public safety patrols and instructed residential staff not to allow law enforcement into buildings without guidance from the administration unless it is an emergency. Shipman’s full email to the community reiterated that law enforcement must have a judicial warrant or judicial subpoena to access non‑public areas of the university, including housing and classrooms, and that an administrative warrant is not sufficient. She advised staff to ask agents to wait to enter non‑public areas until Public Safety could coordinate with the Office of the General Counsel.
The university also announced a webinar on immigration policy and the law and other measures to support students.
Context and prior incidents
Columbia has been a flashpoint since campus protests erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and university protests over the Israel‑Gaza conflict have continued. In March 2025, pro‑Palestinian activist and graduate student Mahmoud Khalil was picked up by federal agents at his Manhattan apartment, triggering legal battles as the federal government sought his deportation.
Aghayeva, who has a large social media following, was praised by classmates for her impact on students. Columbia said it was providing legal support and working to gather more information and contact the student’s family.
Jared Ochacher contributed to this report.
