The DHS confirmed the arrest of Columbia University student Elmina Aghayeva, who was detained for being in the U.S. illegally after her student visa expired in 2016.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained a Columbia University student, Elmina Aghayeva, who is reportedly in the country illegally. Her student visa was terminated in 2016 under the Obama administration due to her failure to attend classes. This situation has raised significant concerns regarding ICE's practices and the deportation of students with expired visas.
Columbia University has stated that ICE agents entered a residential building to apprehend Aghayeva early in the morning, claiming to be searching for a 'missing person.' The university emphasized that it was alarmed by the entry, asserting that the federal agents may have misrepresented the reason for their presence in the building. This incident showcases the ongoing tension between educational institutions and immigration enforcement agencies regarding the treatment of undocumented students.
The case has attracted public attention, highlighting issues of immigration policy, student rights, and the implications for higher education institutions in the U.S. As Aghayeva reportedly has no pending appeals or applications with the DHS, her future now hangs in the balance as debates continue over the treatment of individuals with expired visas and their integration or removal from the U.S. education system.
