Columbia University student arrested in US, Trump orders her release after Mamdani's intervention

News Topical, Digital Desk : US federal immigration agents arrested Eli Aghayeva, a Columbia University student, on Thursday morning, February 26. The arrest sparked protests on campus.

Federal immigration agents were accused of impersonating police officers and entering the university campus under the guise of searching for a missing child.

Mamdani got the girl released

Hours after detaining a Columbia University student, immigration agents reversed their decision. Following President Donald Trump's intervention, Ali Aghayeva was released.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani shared a post on social media on Thursday, saying that he raised concerns about the arrest during a separate meeting with President Trump, after which Trump ordered the student's immediate release.

Minutes after Mamdani's post, Aghayeva, a Columbia University student, confirmed her release on Instagram. "I am safe and well, but completely traumatized by this experience," Elli Aghayeva said on Instagram.

Mamdani appealed to withdraw the case

Mamdani also appealed to President Trump to drop cases against several other current and former students facing deportation for their role in protests against Israel.

Aghayeva sent a message to her more than 100,000 followers on her Instagram account, writing, "DHS has illegally arrested me. Please help." A photo accompanying the post showed her feet in the backseat of a car.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Aghayeva's student visa was terminated in 2016 for not attending classes. Columbia did not respond to questions about her visa status or how long she had been enrolled at the university.

Aghayeva's lawyers said in the petition that she came to the US on a visa in or around 2016. They declined to comment further, including on details about her immigration status.

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