The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) informed that a student from Columbia University has been detained for being in the country without legal status. This student, named Elmina Agaiwa, had a student visa that expired back in 2016.
A DHS spokesperson explained that “ICE arrested Ermina Agayeva, an illegal alien from Azerbaijan. Her student visa was terminated under the Obama administration due to her not attending classes.” The spokesperson noted that officers were allowed access to her apartment by the building manager and her roommate. Moreover, Agaiwa has no ongoing appeals or applications with DHS.
Columbia University announced on Thursday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had entered a residential building and detained a student. It was reported that federal agents arrived around 6:30 a.m. local time.
The university stated, “Our understanding is that federal agents gave a false description to enter the building, claiming they were searching for a ‘missing person.’ We are trying to gather more details.” They emphasized that all law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public areas of the university, which includes residences and classrooms. An administrative warrant alone wouldn’t suffice.
If law enforcement, accompanied by a judicial warrant, wishes to access non-public university areas, they should reach out to Public Safety, who would then coordinate with the “Office of General Counsel to manage the response.”
While many university buildings don’t require an ID to enter, a Columbia University ID (CUID) is necessary to swipe through turnstiles for building access. Interestingly, while Columbia University highlighted its campus rules, DHS asserted that the incident did not happen on campus.
Following the incident, New York City Council President Julie Menin and Majority Leader Sean Abreu jointly criticized the actions of ICE, arguing that they fostered mistrust and danger in both the local community and beyond. They stated, “ICE has no place in our schools and universities. These actions do not enhance safety, but rather create deeper mistrust.”
Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat critical of the prior administration’s immigration policies, refrained from commenting on the incident as details remained “unclarified.” She mentioned, “If false statements were made, it would highlight a troubling lack of oversight.” She also asserted the need for a reevaluation and possible restructuring within the organization to ensure better functioning.
Mamdani’s office has not responded to requests for comments on this matter.
