BREAKING: DHS Agents Lie Their Way Into Columbia University Residence to Detain Student, School Says

*Students and other protesters rally against ICE outside of Columbia University on Feb. 5, 2026. Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images*

Department of Homeland Security agents lied, saying they were looking for a missing person, before entering a Columbia University residence to detain a student, Columbia President Claire Shipman said in a [statement][1] on Thursday.

“Our understanding at this time is that the federal agents made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building to search for a ‘missing person,’” Shipman wrote in an email to students.

The arrest marks the first time in almost a year that DHS took a Columbia student from a university-owned residence. The last time was when it detained pro-Palestine campus protest leader [Mahmoud Khalil][2].

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Shipman said that the school is working to provide legal support to the student. She reiterated that “all law enforcement agents must have a judicial warrant or judicial subpoena to access non-public areas of the University,” and that an administrative warrant is not sufficient.

The school did not provide further comment beyond her [statement][4].

DHS and ICE did not respond to requests for comment.

The arrest comes as the Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers continue ongoing bargaining with the university. Their demands include protection from ICE, which the school has thus far rejected.

“Frankly, given the way that CU staff have facilitated the entry of ICE and law enforcement into Columbia’s residences, I think students and workers would be safer and find more support off of Columbia’s campus than anywhere near it,” said Sohum, a member of the SWC bargaining committee, who prefers to only go by their first name.

Just on Wednesday, students [rallied][5] on campus to demand stronger protections for international students and for the school to declare itself a sanctuary campus.

Hours later, DHS agents entered a campus building and took a student.

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[1]: https://president.columbia.edu/news/important-update-columbia-university
[2]: https://zeteo.com/p/mahmoud-khalil-prem-thakker-ice-trump-detention-gaza-genocide
[3]: https://zeteo.com/subscribe?
[4]: https://president.columbia.edu/news/important-update-columbia-university
[5]: https://www.columbiaspectator.com/news/2026/02/25/dozens-demand-protections-for-international-student-workers-at-sundial-protest-amid-stalled-union-negotiations/
[6]: https://zeteo.com/p/dhs-agents-lie-columbia-university-student-arrest?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share


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