Supporters demand the release of Palestinian woman held in ICE detention in North Texas
ALVARADO, Texas - Supporters of a Palestinian woman in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention in North Texas are demanding her release.
Leqaa Kordia
What we know:
Leqaa Kordia was detained in March in New Jersey after she voluntarily met with immigration authorities about her immigration status.
She believes she is the victim of retaliation for participating in a protest against the Israeli war in Gaza at Columbia University.
She’s been held at the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado for the past 10 months, even though her legal team claims all protest-related charges have been dropped and an immigration judge granted her bond.
Columbia University protests: A timeline of how we got here
Tensions on Columbia's main campus continue to escalate. NYPD officials forced their way into Hamilton Hall as protesters had occupied, vandalized, and blockaded most of the building overnight.
What they're saying:
Kordia’s supporters are calling on the Department of Homeland Security to release her from detention, arguing she poses no threat to national security.
"DHS conceded, by the way, that she is zero threat to this country twice in court. They don’t have an ounce of evidence that she’s a flight risk, or she’s a threat to national security at all. So if you can make that make sense to anyone, I’m all ears," said Hamzah Abushaban, her cousin.
"I just want to add, pose the following questions to President Trump and Secretary Christie Noem. What national security objective is being achieved by keeping this woman locked up here at Prairieland? How is the public in this country improved by keeping her detained for 300 days now? And the answer is there is no national security objective that’s being achieved there. This is doing nothing to improve public safety. It’s simply cruel," added Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat from Grand Prairie.
Kordia’s legal team said they had pre-approval to visit her on Friday to see the conditions she’s living in. They claim the visit was canceled due to rumors of a planned protest.
There were no visible protesters outside the facility during the news conference held by Kordia’s attorneys, her cousin, and several Texas lawmakers.
The other side:
FOX 4 reached out to DHS for comment on the case but has not yet heard back.
Dig deeper:
Kordia is reportedly the last remaining Columbia University protester still in ICE custody.
The Source: The information in this story comes from Leqaa Kordia's legal team and past news coverage.