Defying political gravity, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani dropped into the White House for an off-the-books huddle with President Trump, spotlighting housing shortages and a fresh ICE controversy. This unscheduled face-off between ideological foes arrives after months of public sparring.
Mamdani hailed the exchange as ‘substantive,’ pitching game-changing housing strategies. Spokesperson Anna Bahr teased proposals capable of outbuilding half a century’s worth of units in key initiatives, with project parameters still classified.
A breakthrough emerged on immigration: Mamdani’s advocacy freed Columbia student Elaina Aghayeva from ICE custody. His X update read: ‘Raised Elaina Aghayeva’s ICE detention from this AM in our prior talk— just got word of her impending release.’ She walked free soon after.
Agents stormed her Columbia dorm at dawn, reportedly lying about hunting a missing person to enter, university officials charged. Claire Shipman, acting president, demanded future ops route through campus security, rejecting unauthorized access or papers.
Homeland Security retorted that Aghayeva lost her visa in 2016 over attendance issues, sans appeals, and entry was building-approved.
Trump’s history of slamming Democrat havens like NYC on migration and funding makes this Oval Office repeat visit intriguing. As federal grants prop up the city amid heated national immigration rows, elite Columbia stays mired in access-and-authority tussles.
Silence from the White House amplifies questions: Is this detente delivering for New Yorkers?