Second Columbia protester arrested, another student 'self-deports'
Second Columbia protester arrested
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether Columbia University concealed "illegal aliens" on its campus, one of its top officials said Friday, as the Trump administration intensified its campaign to deport foreigners who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the school last year. A Palestinian woman who was arrested during the 2024 protests was arrested by immigration authorities, while a second 'self-deported.'
NEW YORK - Immigration officials have arrested a second Columbia University protester involved in the 2024 protests, while another ‘self-deported’ after having her student visa revoked.
What we know:
Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from the West Bank, was arrested by immigration officers for overstaying her student visa, the Department of Homeland Security said. Kordia’s visa was terminated in January 2022 for "lack of attendance," the department said. Kordia was previously arrested for her involvement in protests at Columbia in April 2024, it added.
RELATED: Columbia University expels and suspends students over pro-Palestinian protests
The Trump administration also revoked the visa of Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen and doctoral student, on March 5 "for advocating for violence and terrorism." On Tuesday, Srinivasan opted to "self-deport," the department said.
The announcement comes after the recent arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who helped lead student protests at the school and is facing deportation.
Khalil was rushed from New York to Louisiana last weekend in a manner that left the outspoken Columbia University graduate student feeling like he was being kidnapped, his lawyers wrote in an updated lawsuit seeking his immediate release.
RELATED: Who is Mahmoud Khalil? Judge blocks deportation of Palestinian Columbia U. graduate arrested by ICE
The lawyers described in detail what happened to the Palestinian activist as he was flown to Louisiana by agents he said never identified themselves. Once there, he was left to sleep in a bunker with no pillow or blanket as top U.S. officials cheered the effort to deport a man his lawyers say sometimes became the "public face" of student protests on Columbia’s campus against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The filing late Thursday in Manhattan federal court was the result of a federal judge’s Wednesday order that they finally be allowed to speak with Khalil.
The lawyers said his treatment by federal authorities from Saturday, when he was first arrested, to Monday reminded Khalil of when he left Syria shortly after the forced disappearance of his friends there during a period of arbitrary detention in 2013.
"Throughout this process, Mr. Khalil felt as though he was being kidnapped," the lawyers wrote of his treatment.
The backstory:
President Donald Trump has labeled Khalil’s arrest as the "first of many", signaling a broader crackdown on students accused of "pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity."
Columbia student’s ICE arrest 1st ‘of many to come,’ Trump says
Protests erupted across NYC after Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a key organizer of Columbia University demonstrations, was arrested by ICE. Though a judge blocked Khalil’s deportation order, President Trump promised his arrest was "the first arrest of many to come." FOX 5 NY’s Briella Tomassetti has the story.
In court papers, lawyers for the Justice Department said Kahlil was detained under a law allowing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to remove someone from the country if he has reasonable grounds to believe their presence or activities would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.
Trump and Rubio were added as defendants in the civil lawsuit seeking to free Khalil.
The Source: This article was written using information from The Associated Press.