A Columbia University student taken into custody by federal immigration authorities at her campus residence Thursday morning was released later in the day after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he received personal assurances from President Trump during a White House meeting.

Mamdani announced the development shortly after speaking with the president. “Just got off the phone with President Trump. In our meeting earlier, I shared my concerns about Columbia student Elaina Aghayeva, who was detained by ICE this morning. He has just informed me that she will be released imminently,” Mamdani wrote on X late Thursday afternoon.

Several hours afterward, Columbia University confirmed that the student had been freed.

“The university is relieved and thrilled that our student, Ellie, has been released from detainment. We will share additional details this evening,” the university said in a statement posted to Instagram.

Mamdani was in Washington, DC, for a previously undisclosed Oval Office meeting with Trump — the second time the two have met face-to-face since Mamdani’s victory in the November mayoral election.

Aghayeva, who is expected to graduate from the Ivy League institution this year, posted a message to Instagram shortly after being taken into custody around 6:30 a.m., writing, “Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help.”

The Department of Homeland Security stated that Aghayeva is an illegal immigrant from Azerbaijan whose student visa had been revoked in 2016 by the Obama administration after she allegedly failed to attend classes.

According to Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, federal agents arrived at the university’s Morningside Heights campus at approximately 6:30 a.m. Thursday. In a letter to the campus community, Shipman alleged that officials made “misrepresentations” in order to gain entry to the student’s apartment before detaining her.

The operation reportedly involved multiple agents, who told campus security they were pursuing a missing persons investigation involving a 5-year-old child.

In a statement provided to The Post, DHS said officers were admitted into the apartment by the building’s manager and the student’s roommate. The agency added that all agents displayed badges and immediately identified themselves.

Following her arrest, Aghayeva again turned to Instagram, posting the message, “Dhs illegally arrested me. Please help,” alongside what appeared to be a point-of-view image showing a woman’s legs from inside the back seat of a vehicle.

Several Democratic officials in New York City sharply criticized the arrest.

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal accused federal authorities of misleading university officials. In an angry post on X, he claimed agents “purposefully deceived campus housing/security to gain entry to the student’s apartment.”

“The level of civil rights violations that took place is staggering,” he fumed.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who graduated from Columbia, described the episode as “disturbing” and issued a rebuke of ICE in her own social media statement.

“ICE has no place in our schools and universities. These activities do not make our city or country safer, but rather drive mistrust and danger. As Columbia College alumni, our hearts are with the community there, and we have been in contact with the University to offer our assistance.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also condemned the arrest and said she intends to introduce legislation that would prohibit ICE from entering what she described as sensitive locations, including schools and dormitories.

“Let’s get it passed now,” she wrote on X.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likewise denounced the detention as “unacceptable,” calling for immediate clarification about Aghayeva’s situation and stating that his office was coordinating with Columbia and appropriate authorities.

{Matzav.com}