DHS reportedly detained a Columbia University student and content creator | The Verge

Overview

Tech Expand Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft Samsung Business See all tech

Reviews Expand Smart Home Reviews Phone Reviews Tablet Reviews Headphone Reviews See all reviews

Details

Science Expand Space Energy Environment Health See all science

Entertainment Expand TV Shows Movies Audio See all entertainment

Policy Expand Antitrust Politics Law Security See all policy

Gadgets Expand Laptops Phones TVs Headphones Speakers Wearables See all gadgets

Verge Shopping Expand Buying Guides Deals Gift Guides See all shopping

Streaming Expand Disney HBONetflix You Tube Creators See all streaming

Transportation Expand Electric Cars Autonomous Cars Ride-sharing Scooters See all transportation

Policy Close Policy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Policy

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Tech Close Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Tech

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Creators Close Creators Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Creators

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

DHS reportedly detained a Columbia University student and content creator

The university said it was “working to gather more information, working to reach the family, and providing legal support.”

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Students are seen on the campus of Columbia University on April 14, 2025, in New York City. An immigration judge ruled on April 11 that Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian student protester from Columbia University and a US permanent resident detained by the Trump administration, can be deported, his lawyer said. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Department of Homeland Security agents “made misrepresentations” to gain access to a Columbia University residential building and detained a student early Thursday morning, according to a statement issued by the school.

“Our understanding at this time is that the federal agents made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building to search for a ‘missing person,’” the statement says.

The Columbia Daily Spectator, the student newspaper, reported that the student who was detained is neuroscience researcher Ellie Aghayeva. Aghayeva is also a content creator with more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and Tik Tok, and her identity as a student at Columbia is a core part of what she shares online. Before her reported detainment, Aghayeva shared things like a video titled “10 hour study with me at Columbia” and another titled “5:30AM Columbia student morning routine.” She also shared tips for other content creators and has an Amazon Storefront, where creators can earn affiliate revenue.

Early Thursday morning, her Instagram Story had a more chilling post: a photo of someone’s knees with the caption “Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help.”

Columbia declined to confirm that Aghayeva is the student who was detained. The City reported that Aghayeva is from Azerbaijan and had filed a habeas corpus petition on Thursday requesting her release.

Student influencers are fairly common — Aghayeva appears to have been active in a niche known as “studytok.” She recently posted videos labeled as ads for several companies, including Audible and the gum brand Extra. Audible, Amazon, and Mars, which owns Extra, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. An email to Aghayeva went unanswered. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mia Sato Close Mia Sato Features Writer, The Verge Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All by Mia Sato

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Creators Close Creators Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Creators

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Policy Close Policy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Policy

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Politics Close Politics Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Politics

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Social Media Close Social Media Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Social Media

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Tech Close Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All Tech

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Hands on: I’m super impressed with the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s new Privacy Display

Burger King will use AI to check if employees say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’

Google Gemini can book an Uber or order food for you on Pixel 10 and Galaxy S26

Google and Samsung just launched the AI features Apple couldn’t with Siri

Key Takeaways

Tech Expand Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft Samsung Business See all tech
Reviews Expand Smart Home Reviews Phone Reviews Tablet Reviews Headphone Reviews See all reviews
Science Expand Space Energy Environment Health See all science
Entertainment Expand TV Shows Movies Audio See all entertainment
Policy Expand Antitrust Politics Law Security See all policy