Columbia ‘Studytok’ Influencer Detained and Released by DHS
▼ Summary
– Columbia University accused Department of Homeland Security agents of using false pretenses about a missing person to enter a building and detain a student, Ellie Aghayeva.
– The detained student, Ellie Aghayeva, is a neuroscience researcher and a social media content creator with a large following who often shares content about her life at Columbia.
– DHS stated Aghayeva was arrested as an “illegal alien” whose student visa was terminated in 2016 for failing to attend classes, though it was not immediately clarified if this was at Columbia.
– Aghayeva was released after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani made a personal appeal to Donald Trump, who reportedly assured her imminent release.
– New York Governor Kathy Hochul asserted that ICE agents lied to gain access to the residence because they did not have the proper warrant.
Columbia University has accused Department of Homeland Security agents of using deceptive tactics to detain a student on campus, an incident that escalated to involve direct appeals to former President Donald Trump before her release. The university stated agents “made misrepresentations” about searching for a missing person to enter a residential building. The detained student was identified by the Columbia Daily Spectator as Ellie Aghayeva, a neuroscience researcher and popular social media creator known for sharing content about her life as a Columbia student.
Aghayeva, who has over 100,000 followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, often posts study routines and tips for fellow creators. Her online presence is centered on her identity as a student, featuring videos with titles like “10 hour study with me at Columbia.” The situation took a serious turn when she posted a chilling message on her Instagram Story showing a photo of someone’s knees with the caption “Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help.”
According to a DHS statement provided by assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin, “ICE arrested Elmina Aghayeva, an illegal alien from Azerbaijan, whose student visa was terminated in 2016 under the Obama administration for failing to attend classes.” McLaughlin added that the building manager and a roommate allowed officers into the apartment and that Aghayeva has no pending appeals with DHS. It was not immediately clarified if the 2016 visa termination related to her enrollment at Columbia or another institution.
The case drew high-level political attention. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted on social media that he personally spoke to Donald Trump about the situation, after which Trump indicated Aghayeva would be “released imminently.” Shortly after, Aghayeva confirmed on Instagram Stories that she was on her way home but was in “complete shock over what happened.” Columbia University expressed relief, tweeting that it was “thrilled that our student, Ellie, has been released from detainment.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the agents’ methods in a post on X, stating, “Let’s be clear about what happened: ICE agents didn’t have the proper warrant, so they lied to gain access to a student’s private residence.” Aghayeva is part of a growing niche of “studytok” influencers, and she has recently posted sponsored content for brands like Audible and Extra gum. Requests for comment from those companies, as well as from DHS and Aghayeva herself, were not immediately returned.
(Source: The Verge)
