DHS detained — then released — a Columbia University ‘studytok’ influencer

Source: The Verge

Incident Overview

Columbia University said Department of Homeland Security agents “made misrepresentations” about searching for a missing person to gain access to a residential building and detain a student on Thursday. By the afternoon, the student had been released after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani made a personal appeal to Donald Trump.

Students are seen on the campus of Columbia University on April 14, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images) – AFP via Getty Images

Student Background

The Columbia Daily Spectator, the student newspaper, first reported that the detained student is neuroscience researcher Ellie Aghayeva. Aghayeva is also a content creator with more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, and her identity as a student at Columbia is a core part of what she shares online.

Release

The student was released later that day following the mayor’s intervention.

Source: [The Verge]