Day After Azerbaijan Student Detained by ICE in Columbia Housing Was Freed US Says Moot

After Azerbaijan Student Detained by ICE in Columbia Housing Was Freed Judge Says Moot by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 2 –A Columbia University student from Azerbaijan was detained by ICE on February 26 inside her student housing at 503 East 121 Street and taken to 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan. Ellie Aghayeva filed a habeas corpus petition in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York later on February 26. where Inner City Press found it.   The case was assigned to Judge John G. Koeltl.  The petition says "on information and belief, Respondents represented they were searching for a missing person to gain entry" to the Columbia housing. Also filed was an emergency motion for a Temporary Restraining Order. Inner City Press is covering a trial over which Judge Koeltl is presiding, and will be following this case. In fact, the case was referred to the Part 1 Judge for the week, Judge Katherine Polk Failla - of whose ruling maintaining Syria Temporary Protected Status the Government took an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court earlier on February 26. She granted a stay, and a schedule: "On or before March 3, 2026, the Government shall file an opposition." Then, she was released - not by the above quoted, but DC. She wrote on Instagram, "I just got out a little while ago. I am safe and ok. I am in complete shock over what happened…” At 11:15 pm on February 27, the US Attorney's Office wrote to Judge Koeltl that "this case is moot as Petitioner was released from ICE custody shortly after being arrested yesterday." On March 2, Judge Failla as Part 1 agreed: "The Government then filed that letter, which reports that Petitioner has been released. (Dkt. #6). Because Petitioner is not detained, the Government explains, this case is moot. (Id.). The Court agrees. The Clerk of Court is directed to terminate all pending motions, adjourn all remaining dates, and close this case. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Katherine Polk Failla, Part 1 on 3/2/2026 Meanwhile in the case of a man from Mali, the Office is continuing to push for removal, here. This case is, or was, Aghayeva v. Genalo, et al., 1:26-cv-1602 (Koeltl) *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com