On Thursday, a demonstration outside Columbia University in New York City led to the arrest of over a dozen activists who are against anti-immigrant enforcement. These individuals were taken into custody on charges of not following orders from the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
According to an NYPD spokesperson, 13 individuals were arrested and given criminal court summonses. It’s still unclear if these individuals were students or university staff.
The arrests happened after the police were called to the scene of the protest around 1:30 p.m. local time. Video footage showed protesters wearing black T-shirts that read “Sanctuary Campus Now” and “ICE Off Campus.” They reportedly blocked access to the campus and did not comply with multiple dispersal orders, which the NYPD said were ignored for about 20 minutes.
The university released a statement affirming its support for peaceful protest but emphasized that claims made during the demonstration were “factually false.” According to the university, ICE must obtain a judicial warrant to access non-public areas like classrooms and residences—an administrative warrant is not enough.
The university clarified that no members of its leadership had ever requested ICE to be present on or near campus, refuting those claims made by the protesters.
Tensions have been elevated since March 2025, especially after Mahmoud Khalil, a former student and anti-Israel activist, was arrested by immigration agents. Although he was released in June, a federal appeals court later ruled that a judge did not have jurisdiction to stop his deportation, which added to the ongoing controversial discussions surrounding immigration enforcement.
