Leqaa Kordia: Palestinian Woman Detained in ICE Custody After Columbia Protest

Detention of Leqaa Kordia

• 📌 Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman from New Jersey, has been held in ICE detention in Texas for nearly 10 months.
• ⚡ She was initially arrested at a 2024 Columbia University Gaza solidarity protest, but the charges were later dismissed.
• ⚠️ Despite dismissed charges, Kordia was arrested at her ICE check-in in March and sent to the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.

Conditions and Legal Battles

• 🏥 Kordia described the detention center as overcrowded, with 87 people in a facility designed for 37, leading to many sleeping on the floor.
• ⚖️ Lawyers from various organizations are assisting her case, arguing that her detention is unconstitutional and violates her First and Fifth Amendment rights.
• 🚫 Although judges have called for her release and found her not deportable, the government has reportedly blocked these decisions through legal maneuvers.

Broader Context and Activism

• 🗣️ Kordia's case is seen as part of a broader trend to "crack down on any dissent" and "weaponize immigration law" to silence free speech, particularly concerning Palestine.
• 💔 Kordia was motivated to protest due to her personal loss, with 200 of her family members killed by Israel since the ceasefire, and her own experiences growing up in the occupied West Bank.
• ✊ Despite harsh conditions and significant weight loss, Kordia finds hope and inspiration from advocates and maintains her resolve for Palestinian liberation.

Calls for Release

• 📢 The New Jersey City Council has passed a resolution calling for Kordia's immediate release.
• 🇺🇸 Senators from Maryland and New Jersey, including Chris Van Holland and Cy Booker, are also advocating for her release.
• 💰 A $20,000 bond was paid but subsequently returned by the government, which continues to block her release despite her having no criminal history, being a flight risk, or a danger to society.