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, but she was released.
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.
I don't know what to say. I'm free! I'm free! Finally, after one year, Kordia told reporters after emerging from the detention center near Dallas.
DHS has alleged Kordia provided financial support to individuals living in nations hostile to the US. Her cousin told CBS that she had sent money to relatives overseas.
An immigration judge found overwhelming evidence that Kordia was truthful about the funds.
At her third bail hearing on Friday, an immigration judge described the government's arguments against her release as disingenuous and ordered that she be released on $100,000 bail.
Last month, Kordia was admitted to hospital for three days after having a seizure at the detention facility, where she alleged that she had been chained to a bed and that the conditions were inhumane.
Now back in New Jersey as her case continues, Kordia's situation reflects ongoing tensions over immigration policies and the rights of activists in the U.S.
Sarah Sherman-Stokes, supervising attorney with the Boston University School of Law Immigrants' Rights Clinic, stated that Kordia was being unlawfully targeted by the government for her advocacy for Palestinian rights.
Following her release, Kordia's cousin emphasized the emotional toll that this past year has taken on their family, expressing gratitude for community support during their struggles.
