MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) announced today that it is representing Leqaa Kordia, a New Jersey resident and former university student of Palestinian origin, who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for exercising her constitutionally protected right to free speech.
Kordia, who was residing in the U.S. on a student visa, now finds herself at the center of a high-profile legal case after being detained in what civil rights attorneys are calling a politically motivated crackdown on dissent.
“The SPLC is proud to defend Ms. Kordia against charges unjustly brought by Trump’s Department of Homeland Security,” said Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center. “The arrests of Ms. Kordia and others across the country for using their voices to peacefully protest are not only against the law but are an obvious scare tactic intended to silence people. Wrongfully incarcerating people, violating human rights, and refusing due process go against American values and violate our Constitution. We will fight for Ms. Kordia and her right to live free from political persecution.”
Joining Kordia’s original legal counsel, Michael Musa-Obregon, the SPLC will now co-lead the legal challenge against her detention. The case, brought by the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security as indicated, has drawn widespread condemnation from immigrant rights organizations and legal observers who view it as part of a broader campaign of political intimidation.
“Ms. Kordia’s arrest, like those of so many others, is an attack on freedom of expression using immigration law as a blatant pretext,” said Efrén C. Olivares, director of strategic litigation at the SPLC. “The administration is weaponizing the Departments of State and Homeland Security to target individuals for political reasons, instead of focusing on keeping our country safe. It is a tragedy that individuals who have fled political persecution abroad are now facing it in the United States. We look forward to defending Ms. Kordia in court.”
According to court records, a bond hearing was held on April 3, 2025, during which the immigration judge granted Kordia’s request for release. However, ICE has yet to comply with the ruling and release her from custody.
The SPLC has been consulting with Kordia’s legal counsel for several weeks and has now formally entered the case
