A Columbia University student detained at her campus housing by ICE agents Thursday morning was released after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani received assurances from President Trump as they met at the White House Thursday.
“Just got off the phone with President Trump. In our meeting earlier, I shared my concerns about Columbia student Elaina Aghayeva, who was detained by ICE this morning. He has just informed me that she will be released imminently,” Mamdani wrote on X late Thursday afternoon.
Hours later, Columbia released a statement heralding Adhayeva’s release.
“The university is relieved and thrilled that our student, Ellie, has been released from detainment. We will share additional details this evening,” it wrote in a statement on Instagram.
Hizzoner happened to be in Washington, DC, for an unannounced Oval Office sit-down with Trump — the second such tête-à-tête between the two men since Mamdani won the mayor’s race in November.
After her arrest around 6:30 a.m., Aghayeva, who is slated to graduate this year, wrote in a stunning post on Instagram, “Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help” captioned over what appears to be a POV-style photo of a woman’s thighs from the back of a car.
DHS said she was an illegal immigrant from Azerbaijan, whose student visa was terminated by the Obama administration in 2016 for failing to attend classes.
The raid was launched at the elite school’s Morningside Heights campus shortly after 6 a.m. Thursday, after agents “misrepresented” themselves to access the student’s apartment and take her into custody, Columbia’s acting president Claire Shipman said in a statement to the school community on Thursday evening.
The five agents “without any kind of warrant” entered the off-campus building and gained entry by stating they were police searching for a missing child, Shipman said.
They then made their way to the Aghayeva’s apartment “with the same story,” and were reportedly captured on security cameras showing pictures of the alleged missing child.
“Once inside the apartment, it became clear they had misrepresented themselves. A public safety officer arrived, asked multiple times for a warrant, which was not produced, and asked for time to call his boss, which was not given,” Shipman said.
The operation involved an unknown number of agents, who reportedly told campus security officers they were investigating a missing persons case involving a 5-year-old girl.
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In a statement to The Post, DHS said the apartment’s building manager and her roommate let officers into the apartment, and that all agents were wearing badges and swiftly identified themselves.
“This was a frightening and fast-moving situation and utterly unacceptable for our students and staff,” Shipman continued in a statement, noting the university started immediately working to gain her release.
“Let me be clear — misrepresenting identity and other facts to gain access to a residential building is a breach of protocol,” she said.
The Ivy League president added that all law enforcement agencies — including DHS and ICE — are obligated to “follow established legal and ethical standards.”
“All law enforcement agencies must have a judicial warrant or judicial subpoena to gain access to a Columbia residential building,” she said.
Democratic New York City officials were quick to criticize DHS for the arrest.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal claimed in an angry X post that the agents “purposefully deceived campus housing/security to gain entry to the student’s apartment.”
“The level of civil rights violations that took place is staggering,” he fumed.
Council Speaker Julie Menin, a Columbia alumna, called the incident “disturbing” and took aim at ICE in an X post of her own.
“ICE has no place in our schools and universities. These activities do not make our city or country safer, but rather drive mistrust and danger. As Columbia College alumni, our hearts are with the community there, and we have been in contact with the University to offer our assistance,” Menin wrote.
Gov. Kathy Hochul slammed the arrest, and said she was proposing a bill that would ban ICE from entering sensitive locations like schools and dorms.
“Let’s get it passed now,” she wrote on X.
Calling the arrest “unacceptable,” US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) demanded immediate answers on her whereabouts, vowing his office was working closely with Columbia and the relevant authorities.
Columbia will offer additional guidance and resources for students, faculty, and staff in the aftermath of the ordeal.
“Thank you all for your support of this institution, and the people who make Columbia what it is. And I know our thoughts are with Ellie, her roommate, and all of the affected students and staff tonight,” Shipman said.
