Federal immigration officers misrepresented themselves to gain access to a dormitory on the Columbia University campus to arrest a student, according to university officials.
Department of Homeland Security officers entered the residential building at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, the university’s acting president Claire Shipman said in a statement.
“We are working to gather more information, working to reach the family, and providing legal support. Our understanding at this time is that the federal agents made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building to search for a ‘missing person,” the statement said. “We are working to gather more details.”
On Instagram, Columbia neuroscience student Ellie Aghayeva posted “Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help.”
Thursday’s arrest is not the first immigration enforcement action on Columbia property; graduate student Mahmoud Khalil was arrested in the lobby of his university-owned building last March, igniting a legal battle at the center of the Trump administration’s campaign to arrest and deport international students.
This is a developing story
Source: independent.co.uk