Columbia Says ICE Agents Posed as NYPD Seeking Missing Child to Enter Dorm and Detain Student as Protests Erupt After Her Release
Feb 28
Breaking
4
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 “Ellie” Aghayeva and acting president Claire Shipman called the operation “utterly unacceptable.” DHS disputes parts of Columbia’s 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.
Immigration & Demographic Change
Civil Liberties and Campus Policing
Department of Homeland Security