Columbia University student detained after federal immigration agents use false pretenses to enter building, university says

By Alaa Elassar, CNN

(CNN) — A student at Columbia University in New York was detained Thursday morning after federal immigration agents allegedly used deception to gain entry into a campus residential building, according to university officials.

At approximately 6:30 a.m., agents from the Department of Homeland Security entered a Columbia residential building in New York City and took a student into custody, Columbia University’s Acting President Claire Shipman said in a letter. The student’s identity has not been released.

University officials say agents misrepresented their purpose in order to access the building.

“Our understanding at this time is that the federal agents made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building to search for a ‘missing person,’” Shipman wrote. “We are working to gather more details.”

Columbia said it is working to contact the student’s family and ensure the student has access to legal support.

The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to CNN’s request for comment. DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis told The New York Times that the agency is preparing a statement about the operation and expects to release it soon.

In her letter, Shipman emphasized law enforcement officers must present a judicial warrant or judicial subpoena to access non-public areas of the university, including residence halls, classrooms and buildings requiring Columbia University ID card access. An administrative warrant, she wrote, is not sufficient.

“If law enforcement agents seek entry to non-public areas of the University, ask the agents to wait to enter any non-public areas until contacting Public Safety. Public Safety will contact the Office of the General Counsel to coordinate the University’s response,” Shipman wrote.

“Do not allow them to enter or accept service of a warrant or subpoena.”

The incident comes as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed legislation that would bar Immigration and Customs Enforcement from entering sensitive locations such as schools and dormitories.

“Let’s be clear about what happened: ICE agents didn’t have the proper warrant, so they lied to gain access to a student’s private residence,” Hochul said in a statement on X.

Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler, the dean of the New York congressional delegation, and Assemblymember Micah Lasher said in a statement they were “disgusted and outraged” that ICE agents allegedly entered a Columbia University dorm under false pretenses and without a judicial warrant to detain a student, calling the action dangerous, fear-inducing and vowing to work to bring the student home.

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CNN’s Sara Smart contributed to this report.