Students are seen on the campus of Columbia University on April 14, 2025 in New York City.
Charlie Tribalew | AFP | Getty Images
Columbia University announced that a student was detained by federal agents early Thursday, the latest sign of a nationwide immigration crackdown by President Donald Trump.
The students were taken from a university-owned residential building around 6:30 a.m. by Homeland Security officials, according to an email from Claire Shipman, the school’s acting president, obtained by CNBC.
“Our understanding at this time is that federal agents gave false statements in order to enter the building to search for a ‘missing person,'” Shipman said.
Shipman said the New York City-based university is gathering more information and attempting to contact the student’s family. The email does not include the student’s name.
Thursday’s detentions come as President Trump’s focus on immigration has become a national flashpoint.
Border Patrol Commissioner Tom Homan said earlier this month that the administration would reduce the scale of a surge in immigration enforcement in Minnesota, sending thousands of agents to the Minneapolis area. The backlash against the White House’s efforts reached a climax this year when two Americans were killed by immigration authorities in Minnesota.
Shipman said in an email that all law enforcement agencies required a judicial warrant or subpoena to enter housing or other non-public campus areas. She added that employees attempting to enter private spaces on campus should wait until the school’s public safety team is contacted.
Colombia has remained in the White House’s crosshairs since Trump returned to office last year.
In June, the Department of Education announced that Ivy League schools do not meet accreditation standards because they “violate federal antidiscrimination laws.” A month later, the state of Columbia announced it would pay $200 million to the federal government to restore funding from the Trump administration.
Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student, was released last year after months in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.
The White House and DHS did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
