A Palestinian woman who was detained during Gaza war protests at Columbia University has been released after a year in immigration detention in Texas, according to her lawyers. Leqaa Kordia, 33, was among over 100 demonstrators arrested outside the New York City college's campus in April 2024 and was taken into custody again in March 2025 during a routine immigration check-in. The Department of Homeland Security claimed she had overstayed her student visa, which was terminated in 2022 due to lack of attendance. Federal officials also investigated funds she sent overseas, which she stated were for her family, but she has not been charged with any crime. After an immigration judge found "overwhelming evidence" of her truthfulness regarding the funds and deemed the government's arguments against her release "disingenuous," she was granted release on $100,000 bail. Kordia expressed her joy at her release, stating, I’m free! Finally, after one year. The case has amplified discussions on the intersection of free speech and immigration policy, especially under the backdrop of the Trump administration's actions against international student protesters.