New York Police were responding to a 911 call about suspicious men inside a Columbia University building before soon realizing that the situation was not what it seemed.
The men described by the caller were federal agents.
Newly released body camera video and 911 audio show New York Police Department (NYPD) officers responding to a Feb. 26 call in Morningside Heights before learning the individuals were agents with Homeland Security Investigations. Police said officers verified the agents’ status before clearing the scene.
The encounter occurred during a federal immigration enforcement action connected to the detention of Columbia University student Elmina “Ellie” Aghayeva, according to other reporting on the incident.
NYPD officials said officers verified the identities of the two individuals and cleared the scene after determining they were federal agents conducting an investigation.
The department emphasized that NYPD officers do not participate in civil immigration enforcement and are prohibited from interfering with federal authorities carrying out those operations.
“First and foremost, the NYPD does not engage in civil immigration enforcement, period,” a department spokesperson told Military.com.
The spokesperson added that federal law also prohibits local officers or civilians from obstructing immigration enforcement actions carried out by federal agencies.
It is also a federal crime for the NYPD or any member of the public to interfere with or impede civil immigration enforcement undertaken by federal authorities.
Military.com reached out for comment to Columbia University, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York City mayor’s office and the student involved in the incident.
'Full Transparency'
Police said officers confirmed the agents’ status before leaving the location.
“To ensure full transparency and show exactly how our officers appropriately responded to this incident, the NYPD released both the body worn camera footage and 911 call,” the spokesperson said.
The encounter lasted only a short time before officers departed.
National debates over immigration enforcement have intensified in recent years as federal officials expand operations and face increasing political scrutiny and security concerns tied to those efforts.
Federal immigration enforcement activity across the country has expanded in recent years as agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations increased hiring and operations, prompting scrutiny in Congress over training standards and oversight.
911 Caller Alerts Police About Suspicious Men at Columbia
A person inside the building called 911 to report two unfamiliar men moving through the hallway of a Columbia University residential building.
The caller told a dispatcher the men appeared to be near an apartment door on the second floor and raised concerns they might be trying to gain entry. The individuals were described as one Black male and one white male wearing dark clothing, including a dark blue or black sweatsuit and black pants, according to a call transcript.
The caller said one man was standing in the hallway while the other appeared to be near a door, raising concerns they might be trying to access an apartment inside the building.
Dispatchers told the caller officers would respond to investigate the suspicious activity, according to the call transcript.
Police radio traffic captured in the footage shows officers reporting the situation to dispatch and noting the individuals were federal agents.
After verifying the agents’ status, officers cleared the call and left the scene without further action.
