Pro-Palestinian Activist Leqaa Kordia Released After Year in ICE Custody
Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old pro-Palestinian activist originally from the West Bank, has been released on bond after spending an entire year in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Her release comes despite three separate court rulings that determined she posed no threat and could be released on bond.
Arrest and Detention Timeline
Kordia was initially arrested in April 2024 at a protest against Israel's war on Gaza outside Columbia University. Nearly a year later, in March 2025, she was taken into custody after reporting for a routine check-in at an ICE office in New Jersey. She remained detained at the Prairieland detention center in Alvarado, Texas, until her release on Monday on a $100,000 bond.
"This past year has taken an unimaginable toll on Leqaa and our entire family," said Hamzah Abushaban, Kordia's cousin. "We are grateful to our community that stood beside us every step of the way, and for the countless prayers offered during this past Ramadan – those moments of sincerity and hope carried us through some of our darkest days."
Legal Battles and Health Concerns
Kordia's legal team repeatedly raised alarms about the conditions inside the detention facility. In February, she was hospitalized after suffering a seizure and reported being shackled at both hands and legs throughout her 72-hour hospital stay.
"ICE detention facilities are built to break people and destroy their health and hope," Kordia stated through her attorney. "I want everyone to know what happened to me because the same things are happening to other women who are locked up here."
Travis Fife, staff attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project and one of Kordia's attorneys, emphasized the government's persistent efforts to block her release. "Since her detention over one year ago, the government has taken every effort to deny her basic rights and freedom, blocking her release not once but twice," Fife said. "Leqaa going home today is the bare minimum. We must continue to assert the fundamental first amendment principle that the government cannot abuse power to punish people for using their voice."
Political Context and Allegations
Kordia was the last person remaining in immigration detention following the Trump administration's 2025 crackdown on pro-Palestine protesters on college campuses. She was detained around the same time as fellow protesters Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi.
Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Kordia of being a terrorist sympathizer and claimed the government was investigating funds she sent overseas. Her lawyers clarified that Kordia, who worked as a server, had sent approximately $1,000 to help her family in Gaza.
Immigration Status and Support
According to her legal team, Kordia had a pending asylum application at the time of her detention and is currently in the process of obtaining permanent residency through her mother, who is a U.S. citizen.
"This is an important step in restoring Leqaa's rights as she continues to be unlawfully targeted by the government for her advocacy for Palestinian rights," said Sarah Sherman-Stokes, supervising attorney with the Boston University School of Law Immigrants Rights Clinic.
Kordia's case garnered significant political support, including from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who personally appealed to former President Trump for her release.
Looking Forward
On the anniversary of her detention on March 3, after a judge first ordered her release on bond, Kordia expressed hope for reunification with her family. "All I want is for the government to finally release me now so I can go home to my family. Until then, I'll continue speaking up for the basic rights and freedom of all people, from Texas to Palestine," she said.
Her release marks a significant development in a case that has highlighted concerns about immigration detention practices and the treatment of activists exercising their First Amendment rights.
