Last Protester Detained After Trump's Campus Crackdown Released

Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman, was held in immigration detention for a year after protests at Columbia University.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:09am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A Palestinian woman named Leqaa Kordia, who was the last person still in immigration detention after the Trump administration's 2025 crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists, was released on $100,000 bond after a year in custody. Kordia, who has lived in New Jersey since 2016, was among roughly 100 people arrested outside Columbia University during protests at the school in 2024.

Why it matters

The Trump administration's crackdown on campus activists who criticized or protested Israel's actions in Gaza drew widespread condemnation, with Kordia's case remaining largely out of the public eye as she was not a student or part of a high-profile group. Her release highlights concerns over the use of immigration enforcement powers to target noncitizens who engaged in political dissent.

The details

Kordia was arrested during a March 2025 check-in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New Jersey and was immediately detained and flown to a detention center in Texas. An immigration judge had ordered her released on bond three times, but the government challenged the first two rulings. Kordia was recently hospitalized for a seizure after fainting and hitting her head at the detention facility.

  • Kordia was arrested on March 13, 2025 during a check-in with ICE in New Jersey.
  • Kordia had been held in immigration detention in Texas for one year prior to her release on March 17, 2026.

The players

Leqaa Kordia

A 33-year-old Palestinian woman who has lived in New Jersey since 2016 and was the last person still in immigration detention after the Trump administration's 2025 crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists.

Hamzah Abushaban

Kordia's cousin, who expressed relief and gratitude at her release.

Tara Naslow

The immigration judge who agreed to release Kordia on bond, citing "overwhelming evidence" that she was telling the truth about sending money to help family members in the Middle East.

Anastasia Norcross

An attorney for the Department of Homeland Security who opposed Kordia's release, regardless of the bond.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I don't know what to say. I'm free! I'm free! Finally, after one year,”

— Leqaa Kordia

“We are overwhelmed with relief and gratitude at the release of our beloved Leqaa Kordia. This past year has taken an unimaginable toll on Leqaa and our entire family.”

— Hamzah Abushaban, Kordia's cousin

“There is a lot of injustice in this place. There is a lot of people that shouldn't be here the first place.”

— Leqaa Kordia

What’s next

Kordia said she would keep fighting on behalf of people still being held at the detention center.

The takeaway

Kordia's release highlights concerns over the use of immigration enforcement powers to target noncitizens who engaged in political dissent, as well as the harsh conditions and injustices faced by detainees in the immigration detention system.