DHS says Columbia student taken into custody is illegal alien whose visa was terminated under Obama admin

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News Digital that agents detained a Columbia University pupil who was successful the state illegally. The student, who DHS identified arsenic Elmina Aghayeva, had a pupil visa that expired successful 2016.

"ICE arrested Elmina Aghayeva, an amerciable alien from Azerbaijan, whose pupil visa was terminated successful 2016 nether the Obama medication for failing to be classes. The gathering manager and her roommate fto officers into the apartment. She has nary pending appeals oregon applications with DHS," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Columbia University successful New York City said connected Thursday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents entered a residential gathering and detained a student. The assemblage said the national agents entered the residential gathering astatine astir 6:30 a.m. section time.

Anti-ICE agitators demonstrated astatine Columbia University aft national migration agents detained a student. (WNYW)

"Our knowing astatine this clip is that the national agents made misrepresentations to summation introduction to the gathering to hunt for a 'missing person.' We are moving to stitchery much details," Columbia University said successful a statement. "It is important to reiterate that each instrumentality enforcement agents indispensable person a judicial warrant oregon judicial subpoena to entree non-public areas of the University, including housing, classrooms, and areas requiring CUID swipe access. An administrative warrant is not sufficient."

The assemblage said instrumentality enforcement agents with a judicial warrant oregon judicial subpoena who are looking to entree non-public areas of the assemblage indispensable interaction nationalist safety, which volition past interaction "the Office of the General Counsel to coordinate the university’s response."

Many Columbia University buildings bash not necessitate a Columbia University ID (CUID) to enter, but successful bid to entree the interior of the buildings, 1 would request to swipe done turnstiles with an ID.

While Columbia spoke astir rules connected its campus, DHS said that the incidental did not instrumentality spot connected campus. 

An anti-ICE agitator holds a motion during a objection astatine Columbia University. (WNYW)

MORE THAN A DOZEN ANTI-ICE AGITATORS HAULED AWAY BY NYPD NEAR COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Majority Leader Shaun Abreu issued a associated connection condemning the incident. They said the agents' actions person accrued "mistrust and danger" successful the metropolis and the country.

"ICE has nary spot successful our schools and universities. These activities bash not marque our metropolis oregon state safer, but alternatively thrust mistrust and danger. As Columbia College alumni, our hearts are with the assemblage there, and we person been successful interaction with the University to connection our assistance," the connection read.

Barricades are installed successful beforehand of Columbia University aft national agents from the Department of Homeland Security entered a assemblage residential gathering and detained a student, aboriginal Thursday morning, connected Feb. 26, 2026. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who has been a vocal professional of the Trump administration's amerciable migration crackdown, held backmost successful her effect to the incidental erstwhile asked astir it connected Thursday. The politician told reporters that the details of the concern were inactive "unfolding" and that, if the agents "misrepresented" themselves, that it showed the "out of control" quality of the administration's crackdown.

"I inactive person to get the details, this is recently unfolding. I don't wanna talk extracurricular of crook here, but if that's the lawsuit that conscionable goes to beryllium our point: this is an enactment retired of control. They request to beryllium focused, reorganized, retrained. Start over, it's not working," she said.

Mamdani's bureau did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.

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