A shocking update from the US has once again put the ethics of the immigration crackdown in question. A new court document reveals how ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) tricked a federal judge into approving a raid on Columbia University dorm rooms.
According to US media, they have unsealed an affidavit with false claims that ICE used to justify searching the dorms of two students, one of them being Indian. The officials accused Columbia of “harboring” these students, but their legal basis was seriously flawed.
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The affidavit wrongly claimed that the students were in the US illegally simply because their visas or green cards were revoked. However, only an immigration judge can decide someone’s lawful status, not ICE or the State Department.
The two students, Yunseo Chung and Ranjani Srinivasan, were involved in a political protest at their college. The Indian student, Srinivasan, had already left the country before ICE even sought the warrant. Despite this, the authorities pressed on, using the fake claim to scare protestors and send a political message.
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Legal experts slammed the affidavit as “seriously problematic” and “false,” exposing ICE’s misuse of the justice system to intimidate students. The court’s willingness to sign off on such a weak warrant raises troubling questions about justice under this administration.
Chung’s case is now in court, and despite ICE’s efforts, she has not been detained. Her lawyers call this a clear example of political repression disguised as law enforcement.
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