Columbia University Protester Leqaa Kordia Released After Year in Immigration Detention
Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman detained by U.S. Immigration authorities for over a year following her arrest at a protest at Columbia University during the 2024 Gaza war protests, has been released from custody, according to her legal team. BBC News and Al Jazeera reported on her release on March 16, 2026.
Detention and Allegations
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Kordia, 33, was detained for overstaying her student visa, which was terminated in 2022 due to lack of attendance. She was initially arrested in April 2024 during demonstrations outside Columbia University, but released. She was then re-arrested during a routine immigration check-in in March 2025. CNN details her journey through the legal system.
Federal officials also investigated funds Kordia sent overseas, which she stated were for her family. DHS alleged she provided financial support to individuals in countries considered hostile to the U.S. Yet, an immigration judge found “overwhelming evidence” that Kordia was truthful about the funds, according to the Associated Press, as reported by the BBC.
Legal Battles and Release
Kordia’s lawyers argued that the protest at Columbia University was peaceful and nonviolent and that she did not support Hamas. They stated the financial support she provided was to Palestinian family members, including those who lost homes and businesses in Israeli airstrikes. DHS did not respond to questions regarding which nations are considered hostile or whether the payments constituted a crime.
An immigration judge ordered Kordia’s release on $100,000 (£75,000) bail on Friday, March 15, 2026, describing the government’s arguments against her release as “disingenuous.” This was the third time a judge had ordered her release, with DHS previously issuing stays to keep her detained. The Guardian provides further details on the legal proceedings.
Background and Support
Born in East Jerusalem and raised in Ramallah, Kordia came to the United States in 2016 on a tourist visa to live with her mother, a U.S. Citizen. She later transitioned to a student visa and had a green card petition approved in 2021. However, she withdrew from school in 2022 based on incorrect advice regarding her legal status.
Her case garnered attention from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who discussed it with President Donald Trump and Amnesty International, which called for her immediate release. Kordia’s cousin, Hamzah Abushaban, expressed overwhelming relief and gratitude at her release, noting the toll the past year had taken on her and their family.
Upon her release from the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, Kordia stated, “I don’t know what to say. I’m free! I’m free! Finally, after one year.” She expressed her intention to continue fighting for those still held at the detention center.