By Quds News Network
New York (Quds News Network)- The Trump administration has arrested a second Palestinian student from Columbia University, escalating its crackdown on anti-genocide protests at U.S. campuses.
On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the detention of Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian student, accusing her of overstaying her F-1 student visa. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took her into custody for deportation.
Kordia’s arrest comes less than a week after Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian protest organizer, was also detained by ICE. Khalil, a U.S. green card holder, now faces the revocation of his residency status. His American wife is eight months pregnant.
Another international student, Ranjani Srinivasan of India, had her student visa revoked for allegedly supporting Hamas. The DHS statement misspelled “Hamas”, raising concerns about the credibility of the accusations.
The Trump administration has increasingly linked protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza with support for Hamas, labeling demonstrators as terrorist sympathizers.
Civil rights groups say these arrests are meant to intimidate students and silence dissent. Khalil’s lawyer says he has been denied private legal counsel, a violation of his constitutional rights.
The crackdown on protesters is part of a broader effort to pressure Columbia University. On Thursday night, the Trump administration issued a demand for Columbia’s Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS) to be placed under “academic receivership”. This would strip the university of control over the department, setting a dangerous precedent for government intervention in academic institutions.
15 March 2025
Source: countercurrents.org