Columbia University

Columbia University’s acting president Claire Shipman told students and staff that Department of Homeland Security agents entered a Columbia residential building at about 6:30 a.m. Thursday and detained a student after allegedly making "misrepresentations" to gain access by claiming to be looking for a "missing person." In an email to the campus community, Shipman said the university is trying to reach the student’s family, is providing legal support, and is seeking more details about the federal operation. She emphasized that law‑enforcement officers must present a judicial warrant or subpoena—not merely an administrative immigration warrant—to enter non‑public areas of campus such as housing, classrooms or CUID‑restricted spaces, and instructed community members to contact campus Public Safety and the Office of General Counsel before allowing entry or accepting service. DHS has not yet commented publicly, leaving key questions about what authority agents relied on, what they told building staff, and what charges or immigration status issues may be involved. The incident immediately feeds into a broader national fight over federal immigration enforcement on and around college campuses and whether agents are respecting institutional policies and constitutional limits when approaching student housing.