NYC mayor says Trump agreed to immediately release Columbia student detained by ICE

Columbia University administrators stated that U.S. immigration agents misrepresented themselves to gain access to a residential building on Thursday at approximately 6:30 am. The agents claimed they were searching for a missing person, but the university believes they were targeting a student. Acting President Claire Shipman emphasized that law enforcement requires a judicial warrant or subpoena to access non-public areas of the university. The student newspaper identified the detained student as neuroscience researcher Ellie Aghayeva. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke with President Donald Trump, who informed him that Aghayeva would be released.

In February 2026, Columbia University students protested after a student was detained by Department of Homeland Security agents on campus. The agents entered university housing while searching for a "missing person." According to Acting President Claire Shipman, the agents misrepresented themselves to gain entry, and did not have a warrant. The incident sparked a protest on the Columbia University campus. The protest was in response to the ICE arrest of a student at university housing.

A Columbia University student, Elmina Aghayeva, was arrested on Thursday by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents in New York City. The agents allegedly posed as NYPD officers searching for a missing child to gain entry to her residential building. Columbia University's acting president confirmed the university is seeking more information and providing legal support to the student. DHS stated Aghayeva, an Azerbaijani national, had her student visa terminated in 2016 for failing to attend classes and has no pending appeals. Local officials and friends of Aghayeva claim ICE agents impersonated NYPD officers to deceive campus security and gain access to her apartment, alleging civil rights violations. The NYPD stated they had no involvement in the federal operation.

A Columbia University student was detained by federal immigration agents on Thursday after the agents allegedly gained access to a residence hall by posing as investigators searching for a missing person. The student, Ellie Aghayeva, was taken from her campus apartment. The incident sparked protests among students at the university. According to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, former President Donald Trump intervened, agreeing to the student's immediate release. The reason for the initial detention has not been specified in the article.