Azerbaijani Columbia student released after Mamdani calls Trump

Elmina Aghayeva, a Columbia University student and online influencer, has been released from federal custody following an arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were accused of misrepresenting themselves.

The Thursday morning arrest occurred at a Columbia University residence. Local officials and campus authorities said the agents posed as New York Police Department officers, wearing “fake badges” to gain entry under the pretext of searching for a missing child. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have denied the allegations, claiming agents identified themselves verbally and displayed official badges, News.Az reports, citing the BBC.

The raid targeted Aghayeva, who is originally from Azerbaijan and is accused of being in the U.S. without a valid visa. DHS said her student visa had been terminated in 2016 for failing to attend classes and that she has no pending visa applications.

Aghayeva’s release came after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani personally appealed to President Donald Trump during a White House meeting. Following their conversation, Mamdani posted that Trump confirmed she would be released “imminently.”

Later, Aghayeva informed her 107,000 Instagram followers that she was safe and processing the experience.

The arrest prompted widespread outrage. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal accused ICE of impersonating NYPD officers with fake badges and a false missing-persons alert. New York Governor Kathy Hochul called for legislation banning ICE from entering sensitive locations such as schools and dormitories.

The incident is part of a broader federal crackdown on immigration, including detentions of students involved in pro-Palestinian activism. During the White House meeting, Mamdani reportedly gave the Trump administration a list of four other detained students and sought assistance with their legal cases.

News.Az