Temple University says two people impersonated ICE agents on campus. One student, now identified, is in custody as police investigate

Jeff Gammage, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Feb 3, 2025

Published in News & Features

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia and Temple University police are investigating an incident where two people posing as ICE agents disrupted a business on campus on Saturday night, according to the school.

The pair wore shirts with "ICE" and "Police" in white lettering, while a third person videotaped the disturbance. One Temple student was in custody Sunday night and has been placed on interim suspension from the university.

The police agencies have initiated a criminal investigation, the school said.

Shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday, the three, all male entered Insomnia Cookies in the 1300 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue, authorities said. Temple officials said the trio disrupted the store, but not provide specific details of what they allegedly said or did.

"Impersonating law-enforcement officers is a crime," the school said in a statement from Jennifer Griffin, vice president for public safety and chief of police, and Jodi Bailey Accavallo, vice president for student affairs. "This behavior and harassment of Temple community members will not be tolerated."

Philadelphia police identified the person arrested as Aidan Steigelmann, 22, of the 1400 block of North 5th Street. He has been charged with an impersonation offense, police said.

Philadelphia police described an evolution of two incidents, the first at 9:35 p.m. Saturday, when Temple University Police responded to the Johnson & Hardwick Residence Hall after a report of suspicious males identifying themselves as ICE agents and police officers.

Two suspects identified themselves as police and Ice agents to security at the residence hall, police said. Steigelmann arrived at the hall and spoke with the two, and all three left together in a Jaguar SUV before police arrived.

About 10 minutes later, police responded to a call at Insomnia Cookies for three men identifying themselves as police and ICE agents. Two suspects left the area while Steigelmann was arrested at 10:00 p.m., on the 1700 block of North 12th Street.

Police towed the Jaguar SUV. The two suspects were wearing black shirts that said "police" on the front and "ICE" on the back.

Steigelmann graduated from Wissahickon High School in Ambler in 2021, according to an intramural athletics profile. He enrolled in Temple later that year, was affiliated with the Fox School of Business as recently as 2023, and was expected to graduate this year.

Online, Steigelmann marketed a homespun streetwear line and posted about international travel.

"My life like a movie," he posted on Instagram, along with pictures of a beachfront vacation.

ICE officials in Philadelphia and have been asked for comment. Executives at Insomnia Cookies have also been asked to comment.

The incident occurred as reports of ICE activity have surged in the region, driving anxiety in migrant communities, and only days after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided a North Philadelphia car wash and arrested seven men.

In Chester County a car and driver that presented as a member of the "ICE Volunteer Corps" — there's no such thing — stirred concern. The driver brandished fraudulent ICE stickers on the side and back of a white Jeep that was spotted in West Chester and Kennett Square, the latter home to thousands of undocumented people who work in the region's agricultural industry.

In South Philadelphia rumors of an impending ICE raid have unsettled Philadelphia's famous Italian Market, closing businesses and leaving stalls vacant, though no large-scale enforcement has been reported there.

Last week Temple posted a statement that said despite rumors, neither the school nor city police had reports of ICE agents being on campus.

On Friday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said local elected officials and law-enforcement officers cannot be forced to comply with the planned crackdown on immigration, which he referred to as "Nazi stuff," by President Donald Trump's administration.

Krasner, a Democrat, joined City Council members and state representatives at City Hall to condemn the president's actions, which include rescinding a policy that barred ICE agents from entering churches, schools, hospitals, and other "sensitive locations."

ICE acting field office director Brian McShane responded on the social-media site X, saying "the brave men and women of ICE put their lives on the line everyday and place public safety over politics. Attempts to villainize them by people who are supposed to be leaders in the community is shameful and dangerous."

ICE would carry out its mission "despite idol threats and dangerous rhetoric by these people," he said, misusing the word "idol" for "idle."

Temple used cameras to locate the car the three were using on and around campus, and Temple police quickly responded, the school said.

The status, whereabouts, and possible Temple affiliations of the other two were not immediately known.

Temple has asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the school police at Investigations@temple.edu or phone 215-204-1234. Anyone who notices concerning activity on campus should likewise call.