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Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents allegedly detained a Columbia University student early Thursday morning (February 26) after reportedly using deception to gain entry into a residence hall. According to Columbia University's Acting President Claire Shipman, the agents entered the building around 6:30 a.m. under the guise of searching for a "missing person."
The student, identified as Elmina Aghayeva from Azerbaijan, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The DHS stated that Aghayeva's student visa was terminated in 2016 for not attending classes. Columbia University is working to contact Aghayeva's family and provide her with legal support. Aghayeva, a senior majoring in neuroscience and political science, has filed a habeas corpus petition with the Southern District of New York.
The incident has sparked outrage and protests among students and faculty. Approximately 100 people gathered outside the Columbia University gates for an emergency rally organized by student groups like Columbia Student Apartheid Divest, as reported by the Columbia Spectator.
In a letter to the campus community, Shipman reminded everyone that law enforcement agents must have a judicial warrant or subpoena to access nonpublic areas of the school. New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the incident, stating on X that ICE agents "lied to gain access to a student's private residence." She proposed legislation to bar ICE from entering sensitive locations like schools and dormitories.