February 26, 2026 NEW YORK, NY The "sanctuary" of higher education was shattered at 6:30 a.m. Thursday morning when federal agents infiltrated a Columbia University residential building to detain a student.

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the Morningside Heights campus, acting President Claire Shipman confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents allegedly relied on "misrepresentations" to bypass university security and gain access to the student’s private living quarters.

The 'Missing Person' Ruse

According to a memo sent to the university community, the agents did not present a judicial warrant—which is strictly required by Columbia policy for entry into non-public areas. Instead, they reportedly claimed to be searching for a "missing person" to convince staff or security to let them past the gates.

Once inside, the agents apprehended the student and vanished before the administration could intervene. While the university is currently providing legal support and attempting to contact the student's family, the specific dorm building has not been identified.

A Campus Under Siege?

This isn't the first time the federal government has set its sights on Columbia’s international student body. Under the current administration’s aggressive deportation push, student activists have found themselves in the crosshairs:

• March 2025: ICE arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent leader of the 2024 pro-Palestinian encampment.

• Follow-up: Undergrad leader Mohsen Mahdawi was also taken into custody.

• The Threat: While both were eventually released, DHS has publicly vowed to rearrest and deport Khalil.

The university’s main gates have been largely closed to the public since the 2023 protests, making the agents' ability to talk their way inside even more alarming to civil rights advocates.

Political Firestorm Ignites

The raid has drawn immediate, scathing condemnation from New York’s political elite. City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Majority Leader Shaun Abreu—both Columbia alumni—issued a joint statement on X (formerly Twitter) blasting the tactic.

“ICE has no place in our schools and universities. These activities do not make our city or country safer, but rather drive mistrust and danger.”

While Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a vocal proponent of abolishing ICE, has yet to release an official statement, the tension between City Hall and federal immigration authorities is reaching a breaking point.

The Legal Gray Area

Columbia’s policy is clear: No judicial warrant, no entry. By allegedly using a "missing person" story, agents may have circumvented the legal protections intended to keep classrooms and dorms private. Neither DHS nor the Mayor’s office responded to immediate requests for comment as the campus remains on high alert.