- The Department of Homeland Security arrested Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian student, for overstaying her F-1 visa and participating in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University. A second student, Ranjani Srinivasan, self-deported using the CBP Home app after her visa was revoked for allegedly supporting Hamas.
- Protests continued at Columbia after federal agents entered dorms Thursday night with a judicial warrant.
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem condemned violent advocacy and praised the self-deportation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration will revoke more student visas in the coming days.
Full Story
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the arrest of a second Columbia University student allegedly involved in pro-Palestinian protests on campus last spring. Meanwhile, another student self-deported after her visa was revoked for similarly participating in protests.
Federal immigration officers took Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from the West Bank, into custody after she overstayed her F-1 visa, which expired in January 2022, according to the agency. Officers also arrested her “for her involvement in pro-Hamas protests at Columbia University in New York City.”
Kordia previously had been arrested in 2024 for her involvement in the spring pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.
The second student, Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen, “was involved in activities supporting Hamas, a terrorist organization,” according to DHS. Earlier this month, DHS revoked her visa. Officials later provided video surveillance of Srinivasan using the CBP Home app to self-deport on March 11.
In a statement, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem 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.”
Protests continued on Columbia’s campus Friday, March 14. They occurred hours after DHS agents entered two student dorm rooms on campus the night before.
Columbia’s Interim President, Katrina Armstrong, said in a statement that no one had been arrested, no items were removed, and no further action had been taken. She said federal agents had a signed warrant from a federal judge to enter certain non-public areas of campus.
“The university requires that law enforcement have a judicial warrant to enter non-public university areas, including residential university buildings,” Armstrong said. “Tonight, that threshold was met, and the university is obligated to comply with the law.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration will revoke more student visas in the coming days.
