The university stated it is “working to gather more information, working to reach the family, and providing legal support.”
According to a statement from Columbia University, Department of Homeland Security agents “made misrepresentations” to enter a residential building and detained a student on Thursday morning.
“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 clarified.
The Columbia Daily Spectator reported that the detained student is neuroscience researcher Ellie Aghayeva. Aghayeva is also a content creator with over 100,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, often sharing her experiences as a Columbia student online, including study sessions and morning routines.
On Thursday morning, Aghayeva posted a concerning message on her Instagram Story stating, “Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help.”
Columbia University did not confirm Aghayeva’s detention. The City reported that Aghayeva, originally from Azerbaijan, filed a habeas corpus petition on Thursday seeking her release.
As a student influencer, Aghayeva participated in “studytok,” posting ad content for companies like Audible and Extra. Audible, Amazon, and Mars did not immediately comment, nor did DHS. Aghayeva did not respond to an email request.