Leqaa Kordia, a 32-year-old Palestinian woman, remains in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas since March 2025. Her detention has been extended for more than six months due to alleged ties to terrorist organizations, for her participation in student protests and for the expiration of the student visa with which she entered years ago.

The case has generated concern among human rights organizations and Arab communities in the United States, who denounce the lack of clarity regarding her case and its resolution.

How her arrest occurred

According to reports from The Times of India, she was detained on March 14, 2025, after voluntarily attending an appointment with immigration authorities in Newark, New Jersey. Instead of receiving guidance on her status, federal agents immediately transferred her to a detention center in northern Texas.

Since then, Kordia has remained in custody without a public hearing or frequent communication with her family. His defense has filed habeas corpus petitions arguing that the process has not been handled with the necessary guarantees and that his detention is arbitrary.

Reasons for the arrest according to authorities

According to federal authorities regarding his arrest, Leqaa sent a series of transfers totaling more than $16,000 over the years. These transfers, according to authorities, were allegedly intended for relatives in Gaza, which would imply their support for terrorist organizations such as Hamas.

Given this, the Palestinian woman has described these transfers as having the sole purpose of helping her relatives due to the complicated situation in that part of the world.

In addition to the above, she has also been linked and singled out for having participated in various protests held at Columbia University regarding the war in Gaza. Leqaa revealed that her concern for the population of her place of origin led her to be part of this type of movements.

Likewise,Leqaa revealed that after obtaining a student visa,she thought this document was sufficient to remain in the country, something that the authorities have denied, classifying the Palestinian woman as a person without legal status.

Leqaa Kordia's Life in the United States

Originally from the West Bank, Leqaa Kordia suffered the separation of her parents in her childhood, remaining with her brother and father in her home country. In 2016, she emigrated to the United States to join her mother, a resident of New Jersey, who had achieved citizenship decades earlier.

She managed to enter with a student visa in order to study English and worked in various jobs as a waitress while processing her immigration regularization. Her mother even submitted an application to obtain permanent residency for her daughter. She was known in her community for participating in cultural and educational events linked to the Palestinian diaspora.

Friends and family describe Kordia as a reserved young woman, dedicated to her studies and committed to social causes. Those close to her affirmed that she was never involved with radical political or religious groups and that her only goal was to build a stable life with her family in the United States.

Although federal judges have ordered her release on two occasions, immigration injunctions have halted the actions.

What could happen to her case?

Leqaa Kordia's legal future remains uncertain. Her legal team has requested a review of her file in federal court and seeks her release while the process continues. Organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have urged ICE to review the conditions of his detention and ensure that there are no political motivations behind the case.