New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday said President Donald Trump called to inform him that a Columbia University student who was detained by federal immigration agents in a university residential building earlier in the day would be “released imminently.”
The student, Elmina Aghayeva, is from Azerbaijan and is a senior in the university’s School of General Studies. Acting university President Claire Shipman wrote in a message to the university community on Thursday that “our understanding at this time is that the federal agents made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building to search for a ‘missing person.’”
Shortly after Mamdani posted about the development, Aghayeva posted to her Instagram account that she had been released.
“I just got out a little while ago,” she wrote. “I am safe and okay.”
Mamdani’s announcement that Aghayeva would be released is the latest sign of how much influence the democratic socialist has over Trump. It came after he met with Trump at the White House the same day.
“Just got off the phone with President Trump,” Mamdani posted on X. “In our meeting earlier, I shared concerns about Columbia student Elaina Aghayeva, who was detained by ICE this morning. He has just informed me that she will be released imminently.”
The White House and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Aghayeva had filed a habeas corpus petition with the Southern District of New York on Thursday morning following her detainment in an effort to secure her release.
Retiring New York Rep. Jerry Nadler and state Assemblymember Micah Lasher, who is running for Nadler’s seat, wrote in a joint statement Thursday that they were “disgusted and outraged that ICE agents entered a Columbia University residential building under false pretenses and without a judicial warrant to detain a student.”
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal wrote in a post on X that “ICE agents impersonated NYPD with fake badges and a phony missing persons bulletin for a 5 year old girl.”
This is the first time a person affiliated with Columbia University has been detained by federal immigration agents at a university-owned residence since the detainment of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil in March 2025, which prompted widespread protests and calls for his release. Khalil was detained for 104 days and is currently being threatened with rearrest and deportation.
In messages first obtained by the Columbia Daily Spectator, Aghayeva texted fellow students, “Ice is in my house.”
“They are trying to take me away,” Aghayeva texted. “Can someone help me.”
Later that morning, Aghayeva posted a picture to her public Instagram account requesting assistance.
“Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help,” the caption stated.
By Thursday afternoon, protestors had gathered around the school’s gates, which are still largely closed to people unaffiliated with the university.
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