NYPD Assists in Deportation of Palestinian Woman
A glimpse into cooperation between NYPD and the Trump administration
Police in New York City (NYPD) disclosed the personal details of a Palestinian protester to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These details are now being utilized as evidence in her deportation case.
In a chilling reveal, court documents obtained by The Associated Press exposed the New York City Police Department (NYPD) sharing an internal record about Lebqa Kordia, a Palestinian woman arrested at a protest, with federal immigration authorities. The information has been used in attempts to deport her.
Categorized as a disorderly conduct offense, Kordia's arrest last spring during a protest outside Columbia University landed her in President Donald Trump's crackdown on noncitizens participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. She was arrested during a voluntary check-in with immigration officials in Newark, New Jersey, on March 13, 2021, and flown to an immigration jail in Texas the following day.
Although City laws in general prohibit the NYPD from sharing information about arrests with federal immigration officials, an exception exists for criminal investigations. On March 14, an NYPD officer compiled and shared a four-page report on Kordia with Homeland Security Investigations, a division of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.
With her arrest, questions about the city's compliance with sanctuary laws have been raised, as these laws prohibit police from assisting with immigration enforcement efforts.
NYPD's Shadowy Liaison with Federal authorities
Legal experts and civil liberties advocates express concern over the document's revelation of a worrisome level of information-sharing between city and federal authorities, regarding vocal opposition to Israel being equated with support for Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror group.
"The intention of the sanctuary laws is to protect against this kind of collusion and pretextual information sharing," said Meghna Philip, the director of special litigation at the Legal Aid Society.
A Quiet Warrior in Pro-Palestinian Struggle
Born and raised in Jerusalem and the West Bank, Kordia moved to New Jersey in 2016, accompanied by her American citizen mother. She found herself ensnared in Trump's crackdown, despite having a below-the-radar presence in activism. Kordia had no criminal history, social media presence, or affiliations with controversial groups before her arrest.
Lawyers for Kordia argue she has been detained solely due to her political views—peacefully protesting Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which she says has caused the death of over 100 of her relatives.
Surveillance and Interrogations
Since early March, Kordia's family members and neighbors have endured interrogations by federal agents. Subpoenas were issued for records from Kordia's MoneyGram account, WhatsApp messaging account was traced, and no wrongdoing was discovered, according to court documents.
While the federal government used Kordia's past arrest as grounds to refuse her release, an immigration judge disagreed, granting a $20,000 bond, which Kordia's family paid. However, the U.S. government has appealed this decision, keeping her detained for now.
City's Shifting Stance on Cooperation
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, along with previous administrations, has been a critic of the city's sanctuary city protections but insists his administration carefully follows these principles. With recent developments, Mayor Adams has allowed for a potential increase in cooperation with ICE, such as allowing ICE agents to set up an office at Rikers Island, a plan currently being challenged in court by the NYC Council.
Kordia's attorneys argue that she is being detained because of her political beliefs and has been deprived of halal meals since arriving at the jail, leading to a drastic 22-kilogram weight loss.
"The government's entire argument that Ms. Kordia is a danger to the United States rests on a single summons for her participation in a demonstration," said Arthur Ago, her attorney, "The only reason she's confined right now is because of her political viewpoint."
- The NYPD's assistance to federal immigration authorities in the case of Palestinian woman, Lebqa Kordia, has raised questions about the city's compliance with sanctuary laws.
- The document reveal of the NYPD's information-sharing with federal authorities indicates a worrying level of collaboration, which legal experts and civil liberties advocates are concerned about.
- Despite having no criminal history, social media presence, or affiliations with controversial groups before her arrest, Kordia was swept up in Trump's crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
- The federal government's use of Kordia's past arrest as grounds to refuse her release and the subsequent appeal to keep her detained despite an immigration judge granting a bond is a focus of concern for her attorneys.
- Kordia's attorneys argue that her current detention is solely due to her political views, and she has been deprived of halal meals, leading to a significant weight loss.
- In light of recent developments, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, while previously critical of the city's sanctuary city protections, insists his administration follows these principles carefully, but allows for potential increases in cooperation with ICE, such as allowing ICE agents to set up an office at Rikers Island.
