Columbia Says ICE Agents Posed as NYPD Seeking Missing Child to Enter Dorm and Detain Student as Protests Erupt After Her Release
Columbia says DHS/ICE agents detained a graduate student after gaining entry to her dorm by misrepresenting themselves as NYPD officers searching for a missing child; CBS identified the student as Elmina âEllieâ Aghayeva and acting president Claire Shipman called the operation âutterly unacceptable.â DHS disputes parts of Columbiaâs account, saying agents identified themselves and were let in by a property manager, while 911 records show NYPD found federal agents inside; Aghayeva was held for several hours then released amid protests outside campus and a rare presidential intervention, prompting warnings that such tactics could erode public trust in police.
đ Key Facts
- CBS identified the student as Elmina "Ellie" Aghayeva and aired that name nationally.
- Columbia says ICE agents gained entry to a residential building by claiming to be NYPD officers searching for a missing child; university security cameras reportedly show agents in the hallway displaying photos, and acting president Claire Shipman called the operation "utterly unacceptable."
- DHS disputes parts of Columbiaâs account: spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin says agents verbally identified themselves, wore visible badges, and were let in by a property manager, and DHS declined to answer whether the missingâchild ruse was used at the apartment door.
- ABC obtained 911 records showing NYPD was called at 6:32 a.m. about suspicious men inside the Columbia residential building; responding officers encountered ICE agents already inside Aghayevaâs apartment, verified they were federal agents, and then left.
- The Columbia graduate student was detained for several hours and released the same day.
- Organized protests took place outside Columbia University in direct response to the detention, and national media coverage framed the incident as a broader civilâliberties dispute about tactics used by federal agents.
- President Trump personally told New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani that Aghayeva would be released shortly after their meeting, a rare direct presidential intervention in a single ICE arrest.
- Former NYPD hostage negotiator Michael Alcazar warned that using a fake missingâchild story risks eroding public willingness to help real police in future emergencies.
đ° Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
February 28, 2026
2:13 AM
ICE agents said to have posed as police, a tactic some fear could erode trust in real cops
New information:
- Article confirms via 911 records that NYPD was called at 6:32 a.m. about 'suspicious' men inside a Columbia residential building and that responding officers encountered ICE agents already inside Ellie Aghayevaâs apartment, verified they were federal agents, and then left.
- Columbiaâs statement, quoted here, says security cameras captured agents in the hallway showing pictures of the alleged missing child; acting president Claire Shipman calls the operation 'utterly unacceptable.'
- DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin disputes parts of Columbiaâs account, claiming agents verbally identified themselves and wore visible badges and were let in by a property manager, but declines to answer whether the missingâchild ruse was used at the apartment door.
- The piece notes President Trump personally told NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani that Aghayeva would be released shortly after their meeting, a rare direct presidential intervention in a single ICE arrest.
- Former NYPD hostage negotiator Michael Alcazar warns that using a fake missingâchild story risks eroding public willingness to help real police in future emergencies.
February 27, 2026
5:33 PM
Protests outside Columbia University after DHS detains and later releases student
New information:
- Confirms the student, a Columbia graduate student, was detained for several hours and then released the same day.
- Reports organized protests outside Columbia University in direct response to the detention incident.
- Includes DHSâs onâair denial that agents lied to gain access, directly disputing Columbiaâs claim they misrepresented themselves.
4:48 PM
Did ICE agents lie to gain entry into a Columbia University residential building?
New information:
- CBS identifies the student as Elmina "Ellie" Aghayeva and airs that name nationally.
- Acting president Claire Shipman is shown or quoted describing, on camera, that agents said they were police searching for a missing child to gain entry.
- National TV framing highlights the specific question of whether ICE agents lied, elevating the incident from a campus-only email into a wider civilâliberties dispute.