ICE agents said to have posed as police, a tactic some fear could erode trust in real cops

Immigration Agents Pose as Police Searching for Missing Child to Enter Columbia University Dorm

In a controversial operation that has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about law enforcement tactics, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents gained access to a Columbia University residential building by allegedly posing as police officers searching for a missing child.

The incident began at 6:32 a.m. on Thursday when campus security received a call about two “suspicious” men in dark clothing inside a university residential building. When New York Police Department officers responded, they discovered ICE agents already inside the building.

According to Columbia University officials, the agents had presented a flyer of a “missing 5-year-old child” to campus security to gain entry. This elaborate ruse allegedly allowed them to reach the apartment of Ellie Aghayeva, an international student from Azerbaijan whom immigration officials claim had overstayed her visa. NYPD officers arrived after the agents had entered Aghayeva’s apartment, confirmed they were federal agents, and then departed.

The Department of Homeland Security has disputed parts of this account. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin claims the agents “verbally identified themselves and visibly wore badges around their necks” and were allowed into the building by a property manager. However, McLaughlin has not directly addressed allegations about the agents using a missing child story to gain entry.

Claire Shipman, Columbia’s acting president, called the situation “utterly unacceptable” and stated that security cameras had “captured the agents in the hallway showing pictures of the alleged missing child.” The university has not yet released this footage, and the NYPD has declined to share body camera footage of their response.

The operation has created tension between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. While such deceptive tactics are not illegal, former police officers have expressed concern about their implications.

“If the police are actually looking for a child in danger, people are now going to be more hesitant to help,” said Michael Alcazar, a retired hostage negotiator with the NYPD. “Almost immediately, this sort of ICE subterfuge is going to make the job of police officers more difficult.”

The incident has drawn significant political attention. President Donald Trump intervened in the case, informing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani that Aghayeva would be released shortly after meeting with the Democratic mayor on Thursday. Despite her release, a DHS spokesperson stated that Aghayeva remains in removal proceedings.

According to DHS, Aghayeva’s student visa was terminated in 2016 for failing to attend classes. However, friends of Aghayeva claim she was in her final semester studying neuroscience and politics on an international student visa. In an emergency petition filed Thursday, her attorneys stated she was not given a reason for her arrest.

This incident occurs amid an intensifying immigration enforcement environment, with ICE agents increasingly adopting various disguises—including utility workers and delivery drivers—to carry out deportation operations.

Jeffrey Fagan, a Columbia law professor who studies policing, noted that research shows deceptive tactics particularly erode trust in law enforcement when they result in arrests perceived as unjustified. “Anybody looking at this is going to immediately think it’s unjustified,” he said. “So that will erode trust in a relevant community the next time officers need cooperation.”

Peter Moskos, a criminal justice professor at John Jay University and former police officer, pointed out the contradiction with sanctuary policies, which were designed to enhance public safety by building trust between immigrant communities and police. “The idea is that you would trust the cops and call the cops when you need them and know you wouldn’t be deported,” he said. “But ICE seems to be doing everything they can to break down trust.”

The arrest has triggered protests at Columbia University and raised broader questions about immigration enforcement tactics and their impact on community trust in law enforcement.