Watch CBS News

2 Temple University students suspended for impersonating ICE agents on campus, school says

State, local lawmakers rally around Philadelphia immigrant community
State, local lawmakers rally around Philadelphia immigrant community 02:08

Temple University says two students are now on an interim suspension after allegedly impersonating U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on campus over the weekend.

One of the 22-year-old students, identified by Philadelphia police as Aidan Steigelmann, is also charged with impersonating an officer.

Temple police said a third person accused of impersonating an ICE agent on the university's North Philadelphia campus on Feb. 1 has also been identified as a former student who's no longer affiliated with the school.

On Monday, Feb. 3, Philadelphia police said during their investigation they learned two of the suspects involved identified themselves as police and ICE agents and tried to enter the Johnson and Hardwick Residence Halls just after 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. Temple police officers were called to the buildings' lobby.

Steigelmann spoke to the two other individuals involved before all three left the area in a Jaguar SUV, police said, and the three were gone by the time officers arrived.

About 10 minutes later, Philadelphia police were called to the Insomnia Cookies location on the 1300 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue, where Temple police said the three men were disrupting the business and recorded video. Two of the individuals were seen wearing shirts that said "Police" and "ICE" in white lettering.

Using cameras in the area, investigators located the vehicle driven by the three individuals around Temple's campus. At 10 p.m., police arrested Steigelmann on the 1700 block of North 12th Street. Temple University said Steigelmann has since been placed on an interim suspension.

As stated in Temple's Student Code of Conduct, the school said "any student found responsible for this conduct will be subject to disciplinary action... including expulsion."

The Philadelphia Police Department is leading the investigation with help from the TUPD. Anyone with information is asked to contact Central Detectives at 215-686-3093 or text the PPD's anonymous tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477). You can also contact Temple Police at Investigations@temple.edu or call 215-204-1234. 

The impersonation report comes in the wake of President Trump's immigration crackdown and promise to carry out mass deportations in his first weeks in office. In a statement released Jan. 31, Temple President John Fry said the school hasn't received "any reports of federal Immigration and Enforcement Unit (ICE) agents being on campus."

"All law enforcement actions on campus, however, would need to comply with typical processes, including a warrant or court order when appropriate," he said.  

On the day of his inauguration, Trump also signed an executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship. A federal judge in Seattle has temporarily blocked that order.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.