Federal immigration officers detained a Columbia University student inside a campus residence hall early Thursday after allegedly misrepresenting their purpose to gain access to the building, according to university officials.
Acting Columbia President Claire Shipman said agents from the Department of Homeland Security entered the dormitory at approximately 6:30 a.m. Shipman indicated that federal officers told building personnel they were searching for a “missing person,” a claim the university later suggested was inaccurate.
“Our understanding at this time is that the federal agents made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building,” Shipman said in a written statement. She added that the university is seeking additional details, attempting to contact the student’s family and arranging legal assistance.
The student, identified by school officials as neuroscience major Ellie Aghayeva, posted a brief video to Instagram from the back seat of a vehicle shortly after the arrest. In the recording, she wrote, “Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help.”
Aghayeva, originally from Azerbaijan, had her student visa terminated in 2016, according to a statement issued by Homeland Security. Federal officials have not publicly detailed the circumstances leading to Thursday’s detention or clarified whether a judicial warrant was presented at the time of entry.
A spokesperson told The Independent that the building manager and the student’s roommate permitted officers into the apartment. University policy requires that law enforcement obtain a judicial warrant or subpoena to access nonpublic campus areas, including residential facilities. Administrative warrants issued internally by federal agencies are not sufficient for entry into restricted spaces, Shipman reiterated.
“Do not allow them to enter or accept service of a warrant or subpoena,” Shipman wrote in guidance circulated to the campus community, underscoring the institution’s stance on protecting student housing from unauthorized entry.
The arrest marks the latest immigration enforcement action involving Columbia students. In March of last year, graduate student Mahmoud Khalil was taken into custody in the lobby of a university-owned building. His case became a focal point in broader debates over federal efforts to detain and remove international students during President Donald Trump’s administration.
Khalil, a legal permanent resident and student activist critical of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, was stripped of his green card and detained after Secretary of State Marco Rubio authorized his removal. Court filings indicated the government alleged Khalil promoted antisemitism and offered material support to terrorist organizations — claims his attorneys described as unfounded. Khalil spent more than 100 days in immigration detention in Louisiana before being released as federal judges scrutinized what one court described as an “unconstitutional conspiracy” infringing on First Amendment protections.
An immigration judge later ordered Khalil removed to Syria or Algeria based on alleged omissions in his green card application, a ruling his legal team has challenged.
Another Columbia student, Mohsen Mahdawi, was detained during a citizenship interview and later released after an immigration judge dismissed deportation proceedings against him, finding insufficient grounds for removal.
School of General Studies Dean Lisa Rosen-Mestch informed students of Aghayeva’s detention in an email obtained by The Columbia Spectator, calling the development “upsetting and unsettling for our community.” She said administrators were working closely with university leadership to support the student and her family.
New York City Council members were briefed on Thursday’s events. Speaker Julie Menin and Councilman Shaun Abreu issued a joint statement asserting that immigration enforcement activity on college campuses undermines trust and safety.
“ICE has no place in our schools and universities,” they said, adding that such actions foster fear rather than security. Both officials, alumni of Columbia College, said they had contacted university leaders to offer assistance.
The Department of Homeland Security has not publicly addressed the university’s claim that agents misrepresented their purpose when seeking entry.
Thursday’s detention highlights ongoing friction between federal immigration authorities and higher education institutions that serve large populations of international students. Universities across the United States have increasingly formalized policies outlining when and how federal agents may enter campus property, particularly after high-profile enforcement actions involving student activists.
Columbia’s insistence on judicial warrants reflects broader efforts by universities to clarify legal boundaries between federal enforcement powers and institutional autonomy. Legal scholars note that while federal agents possess authority to execute lawful immigration warrants, access to private or restricted property without proper judicial authorization can raise constitutional concerns, particularly under the Fourth Amendment.
The case also unfolds against a politically charged backdrop. Immigration enforcement targeting students has become intertwined with debates over campus activism, academic freedom and foreign policy dissent. Federal courts in prior Columbia-related cases have questioned whether enforcement decisions were influenced by protected speech, intensifying scrutiny of government actions involving international students.
At the same time, immigration officials argue that visa compliance and lawful status enforcement remain within their statutory mandate. The unresolved question in Thursday’s arrest centers not only on Aghayeva’s immigration status but also on whether procedural safeguards were properly observed.
For international students, the incident may deepen uncertainty about campus security and federal oversight. Universities depend heavily on global enrollment both academically and financially, and episodes involving immigration agents can reverberate far beyond a single case.
Columbia officials said they are continuing to gather information. As of Thursday evening, federal authorities had not detailed potential charges or removal proceedings.
The unfolding investigation is likely to draw further legal review and political attention in the coming days, particularly as questions persist about the circumstances under which federal agents gained entry to student housing.
The Independent
