ICE Arrests Another Palestinian Columbia Protestor, Feds Say

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, NY — A second Palestinian Columbia University protestor has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and a different student self-deported after having a student visa revoked, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian student from the West Bank, overstayed her student visa, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said.

This comes less than a week after Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student who was outspoken in the University's protests last spring, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on campus despite his status as a legal U.S. permanent resident. Meanwhile, the Trump administration pulled $400 million in federal grants from Columbia and vowed to arrest and deport student activists.

According to Noem, Kordia's visa was terminated in January 2022 due to "lack of attendance," but in April 2024, Kordia was arrested for her involvement in the pro-Palestinian encampment protests at Columbia University.

According to a Columbia University spokesperson, Kordia was not a student at Columbia.

“Columbia has no record of this individual being registered as a current or former student at the University,” a Columbia spokesperson told Patch.

Also, Ranjani Srinivasan, a Columbia student from India getting a doctorate in urban planning had a student visa revoked on March 5 and self-deported to Canada on March 11, Noem, who called the student a "terrorist sympathizer" said.

“It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live and study in the United States of America. When you advocate for violence and terrorism that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country. I am glad to see one of the Columbia University terrorist sympathizers use the CBP Home app to self-deport,” Noem said.

The immigration arrest for Kordia happened on Thursday, authorities said, but did not specify where the arrest took place.

On Thursday night, agents from the Department of Homeland Security searched two Columbia student residences after sharing active warrants with administrators, the school confirmed in a statement.

However, during the search, no one was arrested or detained, the school's president said Thursday night.

"The University requires that law enforcement have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including residential University buildings," Armstrong wrote. "Tonight, that threshold was met, and the University is obligated to comply with the law. Our University Public Safety was present at all times."

Correction, 2:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with comments from Columbia about Kordia.

This is a developing story and may be updated. For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.