Fedes searched for 2 student residences in Colombia, but did not make arrests, says the University

The federal agents from the Department of Internal Security searched on Thursday night’s two students’ residence at Colombia University, but left without arresting or confiscating any evidence, according to the school management.

Katrina Armstrong, the interim president of Colombia, wrote on a late night message The school community, the Agency served the University with two mandates signed by a federal judge “to enter the university non-public areas and to seek two student rooms.”

DHS is the federal agency that supervises immigration and customs or ice application. Armstrong added that school policies allow law enforcement officials to enter non-public areas of his campus if they have a judicial mandate.

“This evening, this threshold has been fulfilled, and the university is obliged to respect the law,” she wrote. “The public safety of our university (personal) was present at any time. Colombia continues to make every effort to ensure that our campus, students, faculties and staff are safe. “

DHS and ICE did not immediately respond to a comment request. Colombia also did not respond to an investigation.

It was not clearly clear whether the searches on Thursday were linked to Columbia graduate and the pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud KhalilArrest by ice agents last Saturday. This case has aroused an Fierce legal battle Over detention and aroused protests in the city, while facing potential deportation. The Trump administration has accused Khalil, whose lawyers say he is a permanent American resident in Syria, to lead the “aligned activities” to the Hamas terrorist group, but did not provide details and was not accused of a crime.

The day before Khalil’s arrest, the administration revoked $ 400 million in federal funding for Colombia, citing “tireless violence, intimidation and harassment on his campus, which last year became a focal point for the student protests in the Gaza war.

In her letter on Thursday, Armstrong acknowledged the “huge stress” in which the university community is following recent events. She said that the school will remain a place “in which the rule of law and the corresponding process is respected”.

This is a developing story and can be updated. Christian Santana and Andrew Giambrone contributed to the reporting.