Alvarado, Texas — Texas House Democrats on Friday called for the release of a Palestinian woman detained at a federal immigration facility that was the site of a deadly Antifa-linked attack last year, drawing sharp criticism over what state officials described as selective outrage.
Democrats held a press conference outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Prairieland Detention Facility, where nearly two dozen Antifa members carried out a coordinated July 4 attack in 2025. Prosecutors said the attackers, dressed in tactical gear and armed with explosives and firearms, planned to ambush and kill ICE officers. Instead, two foreign nationals in custody were killed, and an Alvarado police officer was shot. Sixteen people were charged, including nine indicted on terrorism-related offenses.
Despite the history of violence at the site, Democratic lawmakers focused their remarks on the detention of Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian national held at the facility for approximately 10 months. Kordia was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations for overstaying her visa, which expired in January 2022, a deportable offense under federal law. DHS has also said she was previously arrested for involvement in anti-Israel riots at Columbia University in 2024.
State Rep. Salman Bhojani and House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu argued Kordia is being punished for political speech and said her detention raises civil rights concerns. Lawmakers did not condemn the prior attacks on ICE officers or address the broader rise in assaults and threats against federal agents, which officials say have surged nationwide.
ICE said the protest disrupted scheduled family and legal visits at the facility, including one involving Kordia’s relatives.
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