A student at Columbia University was detained Thursday morning by federal immigration officers.

Columbia University President Claire Shipman said that “federal agents made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building to search for a ‘missing person.’” The school’s campus has been closed to outsiders since 2024.

The president did not name the student, but it has been confirmed to be Ellie Aghayeva, an undergraduate neuroscience student who was expected to graduate this year. She was taken from her dorm room at the school’s New York City campus at 6:30 am.

https://www.removepaywall.com/search?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedailybeast.com%2Fice-seizes-columbia-university-student-ellie-aghayeva-in-their-dorm%2F

  • solrize@lemmy.ml
    772·
    2 days ago

    Why would ICE look for missing people in a dormitory? That’s NYPD’s job if it’s anyone’s.

    • Zak@lemmy.world
      128·
      2 days ago

      They wouldn’t, but the article says

      Columbia University officials and local lawmakers say ICE posed as NYPD cops and used the excuse of a phony missing child to gain access to the building

      If true, that is likely a crime.

      • ThePantser@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        59·
        2 days ago

        The whole situation is a crime. But impersonating a police officer should at least get the NYPD to do something. Don’t want ICE besmirching their good name do we?

      • mlg@lemmy.worldEnglish
        22·
        2 days ago

        Tbh I would also expect Columbia to lie about this for them. There’s a pretty good chance they knew it was ICE and they decided to go with plausible deniability

      • HCSOThrowaway@lemmy.world
        6·
        2 days ago

        I would be surprised if it is.

        1. Some federal agents get temporarily deputized as local law enforcement in the areas they operate in (and vice-versa).

        2. It’s not illegal for law enforcement to lie.

        Between 1 and 2, I’d be amazed if anything criminal could be charged here.

        -Ex-cop