Temple University Student Arrested for Pretending to Be ICE Agents
Three individuals are accused of pretending to be ICE agents at a cookie shop and filming the incident during a week when nearly 6,000 people were arrested by ICE.
A student from Temple University has been detained in Philadelphia for posing as an officer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and causing a disruption at a business while filming the event, as reported by officials.
On Saturday, a student at Temple University faced arrest and charges for impersonating an officer after he and two other men were alleged to have faked being ICE agents at an Insomnia Cookies outlet in Philadelphia. They recorded their actions, as stated by the Philadelphia Police Department. Currently, only the student has been arrested and charged in connection with this incident; the identities of the other two men remain unknown.
Following the arrest, Temple University announced that the student involved was placed under interim suspension.
“The university will take disciplinary measures against any student found guilty of such actions, which may include expulsion,” the institution stated. “Impersonating law enforcement is illegal, and any harassment of Temple community members is unacceptable.”
The alleged impersonation by the three men coincides with nearly 6,000 arrests executed by ICE between January 26 and January 31, as reported on the agency’s X (formerly Twitter) account. These arrests occurred following a series of executive orders related to immigration and refugee policies signed by President Donald Trump shortly after he took office on January 20.
Temple Student Arrested for Impersonating ICE Agents
On Saturday, at around 9:35 p.m. local time, Temple University Police responded to a report about two men dressed in black shirts with “Police” on the front and “ICE” on the back trying to enter the Johnson and Hardwick Residence Hall, located on the university’s campus.
According to Officer Miguel Torres from the Philadelphia Police Department, the Temple University student is believed to have met the other men at that location before departing with them in a Jaguar SUV.
About ten minutes later, authorities received another call about “suspicious individuals” impersonating ICE agents at the Insomnia Cookies location. Two suspects were reported to have left the scene in a light-colored SUV.
As mentioned by the university, one suspect was acting as an ICE agent while another recorded the encounter, but it remains unclear if the Temple University student was the one filming the incident.
The student was arrested around 10 p.m., and the Jaguar SUV was impounded, as confirmed by the Philadelphia police. So far, only the identified student has faced arrest and charges stemming from this occurrence.
The investigation into the matter is ongoing, with the Central Detectives assisting with inquiries, while the Temple University Police Department contributes information gathering efforts.
Anyone with any details regarding this incident is encouraged to reach out to Central Detectives at 215-686-3093 or contact Temple Police at Investigations@temple.edu or call 215-204-1234.
Information can also be provided anonymously through the Philadelphia Police Department at 215-686-8477.
Julia is a trending reporter. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram
