Palestinian activist in ICE detention 'missing' after medical emergency
The legal team and family of Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old Palestinian woman detained in the United States by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency since March, say they have not been able to speak with her and do not know her whereabouts since she was rushed to a hospital after a medical episode.
Kordia, a resident of Paterson, New Jersey, collapsed at the Prairieland Detention Center located in Alvarado, Texas, on February 6. A former detainee, who did not reveal their identity, said that she fell, struck her head, and subsequently experienced a seizure.
ICE subsequently stated that she had been admitted to a hospital; however, they declined to share any details regarding her health status or whereabouts.
According to her legal representatives, they reached out to a minimum of 16 hospitals throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth region, but did not manage to find her. They also voiced their concern regarding the absence of details concerning her location.
Kordia has been in detention since March 13, 2025, after voluntarily attending a routine ICE check-in in Newark, New Jersey. Although she adhered to immigration procedures, she was taken into custody and moved over 1,500 miles to Texas.
Kordia grew up in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah before coming to the US in 2016. She arrived on a tourist visa, and later transitioned to a student visa as she pursued permanent residency, which she was eligible for through her mother, who is a US citizen.
Her green card application was approved in 2021. However, she received incorrect advice from a teacher that led to her student visa expiring in 2022, according to her lawyers.
In early 2024, she took part in a peaceful demonstration at Columbia University advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza. During the event, she was momentarily detained and was released the next day without any charges being filed.
According to her lawyers, an immigration judge issued orders for her release on two occasions. However, both rulings were blocked by ICE, which utilized “automatic stays,” a system that permits the agency to bypass judicial rulings without prompt assessment by the courts.
Supporters and relatives assert that this case illustrates a wider trend in the United States targeting expressions in favor of Palestine.
They draw comparisons with the arrest of UK journalist Sami Hamdi, who faced consequences for his outspoken views on Israel.
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