In brief
Leqaa Kordia, detained for a year following pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, has been released from immigration custody. Her case highlighted issues regarding the targeting of activists and the conditions within detention facilities. Her release was met with relief from her family and supporters, amidst ongoing concerns over U.S. immigration policies.
A Palestinian woman who was detained during Gaza war protests at Columbia University has been released after a year in immigration detention in Texas, her lawyers say.Leqaa Kordia, 33, was among more than 100 demonstrators arrested outside the New York City college's campus in April 2024. She was arrested again in March 2025 during a routine immigration check-in. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said she had overstayed her student visa, which was terminated in 2022 for lack of attendance.Federal officials also launched an investigation into funds she sent overseas, which she said was for her family. She has not been charged with a crime.Kordia's release from the detention center, where she spent the past year, was celebrated by her family, who described the ordeal as an unimaginable toll. In a statement, her cousin, Hamzah Abushaban, emphasized gratitude for the community's support and prayers during this challenging time.Kordia expressed her relief, stating, I'm free! I'm free! Finally, after one year, after she was released on a $100,000 bail ordered by an immigration judge who criticized the government's arguments against her release as disingenuous.Comments from her attorneys suggest that Kordia is being unlawfully targeted due to her advocacy for Palestinian rights, an assertion that resonates amidst ongoing discussions about the treatment of immigrants and activists under U.S. immigration policy. Kordia can now return to her residence in New Jersey as her case proceeds, raising ongoing questions about the implications of U.S. immigration laws and their impact on community activists.
