Leqaa Kordia released from ICE custody after over a year in Texas detention facility

DALLAS - A Palestinian woman who had been held in a North Texas ICE detention facility for over a year has been released on bond.

Leqaa Kordia walks free

33-year-old Leqaa Kordia was released on $100,000 bond from the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado, Texas, on Monday afternoon.

She had been granted bond by an immigration judge last Friday. It was the third time Kordia was granted bond since her detainment. In the previous two instances, the Department of Homeland Security invoked an automatic stay to keep Kordia detained.

Leqaa Kordia's detainment

The backstory:

Kordia was detained in March 2025 in New Jersey after she voluntarily met with immigration authorities about her immigration status. She claims to have mistakenly surrendered her valid student visa as she tried to pursue permanent residency in the United States.

She believes she is the victim of retaliation for participating in a protest against the Israeli war in Gaza at Columbia University in 2025. Kordia told the AP members of her family were killed in Israeli strikes in the region.

She had been held at the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado since March 2025. Friday, March 13 marked one year since Kordia's detainment began.

Kordia's supporters say she collapsed after suffering a seizure while in ICE custody last month, and that her condition has worsened during Ramadan.

Her supporters previously held rallies on March 5 in Dallas and Jan. 30 in Alvarado to demand Kordia's immediate release.

Kordia's team speaks on her release

What they're saying:

Kordia's supporters spoke about her release in a press release.

"We are overwhelmed with relief and gratitude at the release of our beloved Leqaa Kordia," said Hamzah Abushaban, cousin of Leqaa Kordia. "This past year has taken an unimaginable toll on Leqaa and our entire family. We are grateful to our community that stood beside us every step of the way, and for the countless prayers offered during this past Ramadan — those moments of sincerity and hope carried us through some of our darkest days.

"We are elated and relieved that Leqaa can finally return home to her family in New Jersey after a long year in ICE detention," said Sarah Sherman-Stokes, supervising attorney with the Boston University School of Law Immigrants Rights Clinic. "This is an important step in restoring Leqaa’s rights as she continues to be unlawfully targeted by the government for her advocacy for Palestinian rights."

"Leqaa should not have spent a single moment in ICE detention, let alone an entire year," said Amal Thabateh, Staff Attorney with CLEAR. "Leqaa, like others, was punished for speaking out in defense of Palestinians, including her own family. While it took too many months and too many bond hearings for Leqaa to be released, a just result is finally here. We will continue to defend Leqaa’s and others’ rights to speak out for Palestinian liberation."