US Immigration authorities arrest second pro-Palestinian activist from Columbia University
People gather to protest the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, at Washington Square Park in New York on March 11, 2025. Bing Guan / The New York Times
US immigration officials have arrested a second activist, Leqaa Kordia, who participated in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University last spring.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed her arrest in New Jersey, citing that she had overstayed her student visa, which was terminated in 2022 due to lack of attendance.
This follows the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born US green card holder, who was detained in New York before being transferred to a detention center in Louisiana.
Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen and Columbia doctoral student, chose to leave the US earlier this week after her visa was revoked on March 5.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem justified the arrests, stating, “When you advocate for violence and terrorism, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country.” However, lawyers for Srinivasan and Khalil argue that they were merely exercising their free speech rights and have denied any links to Hamas, a US-designated terrorist organization.
On Thursday night, DHS agents executed search warrants on Columbia’s campus, investigating whether the university was “harboring and concealing illegal aliens.” Columbia’s Interim President Katrina Armstrong confirmed that no arrests were made, nor were any items removed.
The Trump administration has since revoked $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University, citing the institution’s failure to combat antisemitism on campus.
