Elmina Aghayeva, a Columbia University student who was detained by federal immigration authorities early Thursday, was released after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani raised her case directly with President Donald Trump, according to university officials and public statements from the mayor.
Aghayeva was taken into custody around 6:30 a.m. from a university‑owned residential building by agents from the Department of Homeland Security, Columbia Acting President Claire Shipman said in an email to the campus community. Shipman said federal agents entered the building after claiming they were searching for a “missing person,” a characterization the university said amounted to a misrepresentation used to gain access to non‑public campus housing.
Elmina Aghayeva has a sizable social media following, with more than 113,000 followers on TikTok and 107,000 followers on Instagram.
Later Thursday, she posted in an Instagram story, “Hi guys. I am so grateful for everyone of you. I just got out a little while ago. I am safe and okay. In an uber otw back home. I am so sorry but I am in complete shock over what happened and my phone is blowing up with calls from reporters. I need a bit of time to process everything. I will come back soon but please don’t worry.”
Columbia officials said the university is providing legal support to the student and reiterated that law enforcement officers must present a judicial warrant or subpoena to enter restricted campus spaces. Shipman said administrative warrants are not sufficient for access to university housing or other non‑public areas.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Aghayeva, describing her as a citizen of Azerbaijan whose student visa had been terminated in 2016. A DHS official said she had no pending appeals or applications with the department and that officers were allowed into the apartment by the building manager and a roommate. Columbia has not commented on the agency’s claims regarding her immigration status.
Later Thursday, Mamdani said he discussed Aghayeva’s detention during a previously scheduled meeting with Trump at the White House and then followed up with the president by phone. In a social media post, the mayor said Trump told him that Aghayeva would be released “imminently.” Trump did not comment publicly on the case, but Aghayeva was released later the same day, according to the mayor.
The episode drew renewed attention to immigration enforcement actions on college campuses and the limits of federal authority to enter university housing. Columbia said it is continuing to review the circumstances surrounding the detention and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
