Last Protester Detained in Trump Campus Crackdown Released After Nearly a Year
Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old from the West Bank, was held in a Texas immigration detention centre since last March
Kordia, a 33-year-old from the West Bank who has lived in New Jersey since 2016, was held at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas since last March. Her release marks the end of a chapter in one of the most controversial domestic policy actions of the Trump presidency.
The campus crackdown saw immigration enforcement deployed against student protesters, drawing widespread criticism from civil liberties groups and legal scholars who argued the administration was using immigration law as a political weapon against dissent.
Kordia was embraced by friends, family and supporters upon her release on Monday. Her detention had become a cause celebre among free speech advocates and immigrant rights organisations.
The timing of her release — as the administration faces mounting criticism over the Iran war — has not gone unnoticed by observers who suggest the political calculus around the detentions has shifted.
Analysis
Why This Matters
Kordia's year-long detention represents the sharp end of using immigration enforcement against political protesters. Her release closes the case but not the precedent.
Background
The Trump administration launched a broad crackdown on campus protests in early 2025, using a combination of federal law enforcement and immigration authorities. Most detainees were released within weeks, but Kordia's case dragged on.
What to Watch
Whether the legal precedents set during the crackdown are challenged in court, and whether future administrations attempt similar tactics.