A Columbia University student was released from immigration custody following a controversial arrest operation that has ignited a political firestorm over federal enforcement tactics. Elmina Aghayeva, an Azerbaijani national and social media influencer with 107,000 followers, was detained by federal agents who allegedly misrepresented themselves as NYPD officers to gain access to university housing.
According to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, immigration agents utilized fabricated badges and a pretext about searching for a missing child to enter Aghayeva’s residence. The operation occurred Thursday morning at a Columbia-owned building, where university president Claire Shipman confirmed agents employed ‘misrepresentations’ to access the facility.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a contradictory account, asserting that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers properly identified themselves and wore visible badges during the arrest. DHS stated Aghayeva’s student visa had been terminated since 2016 during the Obama administration for failure to maintain academic attendance, classifying her as an ‘illegal alien’ without pending visa applications.
The resolution came through extraordinary diplomatic channels when Mayor Mamdani, coincidentally visiting the White House for housing funding discussions, personally appealed to President Donald Trump during their meeting. Following their conversation, Mamdani announced the President had committed to Aghayeva’s imminent release. Hours later, the student confirmed her freedom via Instagram, expressing shock and needing time to process the traumatic event.
The incident has provoked widespread condemnation from New York officials. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal publicly accused ICE of deploying ‘fake badges and a phony missing persons bulletin’ in a deliberate deception tactic. Governor Kathy Hochul seized the moment to advocate for state legislation prohibiting ICE operations at sensitive locations including schools and dormitories.
This case emerges within a broader context of intensified federal immigration enforcement that has increasingly targeted university students. During the White House meeting, Mamdani reportedly provided Trump’s administration with a list of four additional students detained for pro-Palestinian activism, requesting intervention in their legal cases according to Associated Press reports.