Leqaa Kordia speaks after more than a year in ICE detention.

Leqaa Kordia, released from Prairieland Detention Center on March 1 after more than a year in ICE custody, spoke at a rally in Paterson; her legal team says she remains in removal proceedings and the government has appealed a prior immigration ruling.

Leqaa Kordia spoke publicly in Paterson, New Jersey, for the first time since her release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. She had been held for just over a year and was released from Prairieland Detention Center on March 1. Supporters greeted her outside Paterson City Hall as she arrived near the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Kordia described experiencing difficult conditions while detained and said she had been hospitalized and placed on medication after a health incident. Key details: - Kordia was arrested during protests at Columbia University in 2024 and later detained by ICE during an immigration check-in in New Jersey in March 2025. - She was held at Prairieland Detention Center in Texas and was released on March 1 after more than a year in custody. - Kordia said she was hospitalized while detained and is now taking anti-seizure medication following a seizure that she described as occurring in custody. - Her legal team says she remains in removal proceedings, and an immigration judge had found she would face persecution if removed to Israel; the government has appealed that decision. Summary: Kordia's public appearance highlighted her recent release and raised concerns about the conditions she reported while detained. Her case continues through immigration courts, with an appeal by the government pending and further legal steps yet to be resolved.