Temple University student arrested, charged with impersonating ICE agents
The three suspects are accused of impersonating ICE agents at a cookie store and recording the incident in the same week that ICE arrests nearly 6,000 people.
A college student was arrested in Philadelphia for impersonating U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and causing a "disruption of a business" while recording the interaction, according to officials.
A student at Temple University was arrested and charged with impersonating an officer Saturday after he and two other men were suspected of impersonating ICE agents at an Insomnia Cookies location in Philadelphia while recording the interaction, according to the Philadelphia Police Department. Only the student has been charged and arrested in relation to the incident, while the other suspects remain unidentified.
Temple University said the student who was arrested was placed on an interim suspension.
"Any student found responsible for this conduct will be subject to disciplinary action under the Student Conduct Code, up to and including expulsion," the university wrote in a statement. "Impersonating law enforcement officers is a crime. This behavior and harassment of Temple community members will not be tolerated."
The three men suspected of impersonating ICE agents come as the agency arrested nearly 6,000 people between Jan. 26 and Jan. 31, according to data posted to the agency's account on X, formerly Twitter. The arrests were made after President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20 and signed a number of executive orders related to illegal immigration and refugee admissions.
Temple University student arrested after impersonating ICE agents
At 9:35 p.m. local time Saturday, Temple University Police responded to a call after two men, wearing black shirts with "Police" on the front and "ICE" on the back, attempted to enter the Johnson and Hardwick Residence Hall, a residential hall on the university's property, according to Temple University.
The Temple University student is suspected of meeting the other men there and leaving the location with them in a Jaguar SUV, Officer Miguel Torres with the Philadelphia Police Department said in a statement emailed to Paste BN.
Around 10 minutes later, police responded to a call at a local Insomnia Cookies, where "suspicious males" were impersonating ICE agents. Two of the suspects left the location in a light-colored SUV, according to police.
According to the university, two of the suspects were impersonating the agents while the third was recording the encounter. It does not specify if the Temple University student is suspected of recording the encounter, according to the university.
At 10 p.m., the student was arrested, and a Jaguar SUV was towed, according to the Philadelphia police department. Only the student who was identified was arrested and charged after the incident.
Police are still investigating the incident with Central Detectives while the Temple University Police Department assists in gathering information.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Central Detectives at 215-686-3093 or Temple Police at Investigations@temple.edu or call 215-204-1234.
You can submit information anonymously through the Philadelphia Police Department at 215-686-8477.
Julia is a trending reporter for Paste BN. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com