ICE Releases Columbia Protester Who Was Held For 1 Year
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The Bottom Line
ICE released a Columbia protester who was detained for nearly a year without charges.
How This Affects You
If you're a non-citizen who protests, you could face immigration consequences and prolonged detention.
AI Summary
ICE has released Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old protester who was detained for nearly a year at a Texas immigration facility after being arrested during a 2024 Columbia University protest. Kordia was initially arrested during the campus demonstrations and subsequently taken into ICE custody in March 2025, where she reported that her health deteriorated during detention. The release comes amid ongoing scrutiny of immigration enforcement actions targeting individuals who participated in pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. Kordia's case highlights the intersection between campus protest arrests and immigration consequences, as authorities have increasingly pursued deportation proceedings against non-citizen protesters. Her prolonged detention reflects the Trump administration's expanded immigration enforcement efforts that have targeted protesters and activists.
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Civil RightsLeqaa Kordia, a pro-Palestinian activist, released after a year in ICE custody
<p>Kordia was taken at a check-in at an ICE office in New Jersey and was held despite court ruling thrice for her release</p><p>A New Jersey woman who had been arrested at a pro-Palestine protest and booked into a US immigration detention center in Texas last March has been released on bond, after a year in custody.</p><p>Leqaa Kordia, 33, originally from the West Bank, was arrested in April 2024 at a protest against Israel’s war on Gaza outside of Columbia University. Nearly a year later, she was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/13/leqaa-kordia-ice-detention-palestine-protest">taken into custody</a> after reporting for a check-in at a Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in New Jersey.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/16/leqaa-kordia-released-ice-custody">Continue reading...</a>
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