Immigration Officials Arrest Second Person Involved in Pro-Palestinian Protests at Columbia

Introduction to the Arrests

Federal immigration authorities arrested a second person who participated in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, and have revoked the visa of another student, they announced Friday. 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. She was previously arrested for her involvement in protests at Columbia in April 2024, the agency added.

Visa Revocation and Deportation

The Trump administration also revoked the visa of Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen and doctoral student at Columbia University, for allegedly “advocating for violence and terrorism.” Srinivasan opted to “self-deport” Tuesday, five days after her visa was revoked, the department said. Officials didn’t immediately say what evidence they had that Srinivasan had advocated violence. In recent days, Trump administration officials have used those terms to describe people who criticized Israel’s military action in Gaza.

Chaos on Campus

Columbia University’s campus has been thrust into chaos following the arrest Sunday of Mahmoud Khalil, a well-known Palestinian activist who helped lead last spring’s protests. On Thursday, ICE agents also visited the university-owned residences of two other students at Columbia University, but did not make any arrests. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters the Trump administration is expecting to revoke more student visas in the coming days.

Future Plans for Visa Revocation

Speaking Friday after the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in Canada, Rubio said that the administration would keep looking for people with student visas whom they wouldn’t have let into the country “had we known they were going to do what they’ve done.” “But now that they’ve done it, we’re going to get rid of them,” he said.

Khalil’s Arrest and Treatment

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. The lawyers described in detail what happened to Khalil as he was flown to Louisiana by agents who he said never identified themselves. Once there, he was left to sleep in a bunker with no pillow or blanket, the lawyers said.

Lawsuit and Court Proceedings

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.

Government Response

Earlier this week, President Trump heralded Khalil’s arrest as the first “of many to come,” vowing on social media to deport students he said engage in “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.” In court papers, lawyers for the Justice Department said Kahlil was detained under a law allowing 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.

Conclusion

The situation at Columbia University highlights the challenges faced by international students and activists in the United States, particularly those involved in pro-Palestinian protests. The arrests and visa revocations have sparked concerns about freedom of speech and the treatment of immigrants. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the university and the government will respond to the growing tensions.

FAQs

• Q: Who was arrested by immigration officials?
  A: Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from the West Bank, was arrested for overstaying her student visa.
• Q: Why was Ranjani Srinivasan’s visa revoked?
  A: Srinivasan’s visa was revoked for allegedly “advocating for violence and terrorism.”
• Q: What is the current status of Mahmoud Khalil?
  A: Khalil is being held in a detention facility in Louisiana and is seeking immediate release through a lawsuit.
• Q: How has the Trump administration responded to the situation?
  A: The Trump administration has vowed to deport students who engage in “pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity” and is expecting to revoke more student visas in the coming days.