SPLC President calls the detainment “an obvious scare tactic intended to silence people”
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Today, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has signed on to represent Leqaa Kordia, a New Jersey resident of Palestinian origin in the United States on a student visa who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for exercising her freedom of speech. Alongside her attorney, Michael Musa-Obregon, the SPLC represents Kordia in the case brought against her by the Trump administration.
“The SPLC is proud to defend Ms. Kordia against charges unjustly brought by Trump’s Department of Homeland Security,” said Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center. “The arrests of Ms. Kordia and others across the country for using their voices to peacefully protest are not only against the law but are an obvious scare tactic intended to silence people. Wrongfully incarcerating people, violating human rights and refusing due process go against American values and violate our Constitution. We will fight for Ms. Kordia and her right to live free from political persecution.”
“Ms. Kordia’s arrest, like those of so many others, is an attack on freedom of expression using immigration law as a blatant pretext,” said Efrén C. Olivares, director of strategic litigation, SPLC. “The administration is weaponizing the Departments of State and Homeland Security to target individuals for political reasons, instead of focusing on keeping our country safe. It is a tragedy that individuals who have fled political persecution abroad are now facing it in the United States. We look forward to defending Ms. Kordia in court.”
SPLC has been consulting with Ms. Kordia’s legal counsel for weeks, and at a hearing held on April 3, 2025, the immigration judge granted Ms. Kordia’s request for a bond. ICE has yet to release her.
The SPLC legal team is available for interviews in English, Arabic and Spanish. To request an interview, please email [email protected].
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About the Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org.