A\u00a0Columbia\u00a0University student was detained by federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security who entered the school\u2019s campus Thursday morning, officials said.<\/p>\n
In a statement<\/a>,\u00a0the university’s acting president, Claire Shipman, said the agents entered a\u00a0Columbia\u00a0residential building around 6:30 a.m. and detained a student, who has not been identified.\u00a0<\/p>\n What You Need To Know<\/p>\n A\u00a0Columbia\u00a0University student was detained by federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security who entered the school\u2019s campus Thursday morning, officials said \u201cOur understanding at this time is that the federal agents made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building to search for a \u2018missing person,\u2019\u201d Shipman said. \u201cWe are working to gather more details.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is important to reiterate that all law enforcement agents must have a judicial warrant or judicial subpoena to access non-public areas of the University, including housing, classrooms, and areas requiring CUID swipe access,\u201d she added. \u201cAn administrative warrant is not sufficient.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents \u201cimpersonated NYPD with fake badges and a phony missing persons bulletin for a 5 year old girl.\u201d<\/p>\n UPDATE: ICE agents impersonated NYPD with fake badges and a phony missing persons bulletin for a 5 year old girl.<\/p>\n They purposefully deceived campus housing\/security to gain entry to the student\u2019s apartment.<\/p>\n The level of civil rights violations that took place is staggering. https:\/\/t.co\/xxAt7kwSOY<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Brad Hoylman-Sigal \ud83c\udf08\ud83e\udd6f (@bradhoylman) February 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThey purposefully deceived campus housing\/security to gain entry to the student’s apartment,\u201d Hoylman wrote. \u201cThe level of civil rights violations that took place is staggering.\u201d<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t immediately clear why the student was detained. NY1 has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, the NYPD and City Hall for comment.<\/p>\n Gov. Kathy Hochul posted about the incident<\/a> soon after\u00a0Columbia\u00a0made its announcement.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s be clear about what happened: ICE agents didn\u2019t have the proper warrant, so they lied to gain access to a student\u2019s private residence,\u201d she wrote on social media. \u201cI\u2019ve proposed a bill that would ban ICE from entering sensitive locations like schools and dorms. Let\u2019s get it passed now.\u201d<\/p>\n In a statement, New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Majority Leader Shaun Abreu said they had been briefed on what they called a \u201cdisturbing incident on the\u00a0Columbia\u00a0campus.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cICE has no place in our schools and universities,\u201d the two wrote. \u201cThese activities do not make our city or country safer, but rather drive mistrust and danger.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs\u00a0Columbia\u00a0College alumni, our hearts are with the community there, and we have been in contact with the University to offer our assistance,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n The incident comes nearly a year after federal immigration authorities arrested Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who helped lead protests against Israel’s war in Gaza at Columbia University as a graduate student at the school.<\/p>\n Khalil and his wife were living in a university-owned apartment at the time of his arrest.\u00a0<\/p>\n While Khalil was released from immigration detention back in June, he is currently in a legal battle with the Trump administration as it continues to attempt to deport him<\/a>.<\/p>\n Khalil, a legal permanent resident with a green card, has said he will continue to fight his case in court.<\/p>\n
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Columbia’s acting president said the school believes the agents “made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building to search for a ‘missing person'”
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It wasn\u2019t immediately clear why the student was detained.\u00a0NY1 has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, the NYPD and City Hall for comment<\/p>\n