ICE agents said to have posed as police, a tactic some fear could erode trust in real cops

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal immigration agents arrested a Columbia student after allegedly gaining access to her apartment by posing as police in search of a missing child. The operation has alarmed some policing experts, who worry it could erode public trust during an actual emergency. Ellie Aghayeva was taken into custody by five federal officers early Thursday (Feb. 26, 2026). She was released hours later following a meeting between President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said the agents properly represented themselves. Columbia’s acting president said surveillance video shows them using a missing child poster to gain entry to the apartment.