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Student released following controversial arrest
Columbia University student Elmina Aghayeva was detained by federal immigration agents on Thursday and released later the same day after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani intervened directly with President Donald Trump.
Allegations of deception surface
A local official reported that agents wore counterfeit badges to impersonate New York Police Department (NYPD) officers, gaining access to a Columbia University residence. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denies these claims, stating agents properly identified themselves.
University President Claire Shipman confirmed the arrest occurred at a campus-owned building. In a letter to students, she wrote that agents allegedly misrepresented their identities to enter the premises under the pretext of searching for a "missing person."
Federal authorities defend actions
DHS confirmed the target of the operation was Aghayeva, an Azerbaijani national whose student visa was revoked in 2016 for failing to attend classes. The agency stated agents were admitted by the building manager and Aghayeva's roommate, and that they verbally identified themselves while displaying official badges.
"ICE arrested Elmina Aghayeva, an illegal alien from Azerbaijan, whose student visa was terminated in 2016 under the Obama administration for failing to attend classes."
Department of Homeland Security
Political intervention leads to release
Mayor Mamdani, who was at the White House for a separate meeting with Trump, raised the arrest during discussions. Following the meeting, Mamdani announced on social media that Trump had assured him Aghayeva would be released "imminently."
Aghayeva later confirmed her release in an Instagram post to her 107,000 followers, expressing shock and needing time to process the events.
Outrage and calls for legislative action
New York politicians reacted strongly to the incident. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal accused ICE agents of using "fake badges and a phony missing persons bulletin for a 5-year-old girl" to deceive campus security.
Governor Kathy Hochul urged state lawmakers to pass legislation banning ICE from entering "sensitive locations" such as schools and dormitories. The arrest occurs amid a broader federal crackdown on immigration, which has included detentions of multiple university students.
Broader context of student detentions
During the White House meeting, Mamdani provided Trump's team with a list of four other detained students involved in pro-Palestinian activism, seeking assistance with their legal cases, according to the Associated Press.
