Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old Palestinian woman held in immigration detention for nearly a year, detailed the traumatic experiences she faced at the Prairieland Detention Facility in Texas. Following an incident where she fainted and suffered her first-ever seizure, Kordia linked her health issues to the filthy and inhumane conditions within the facility.
Kordia, hospitalized for three days, reported being shackled during her treatment, which she described as dehumanizing. I felt like an animal, she lamented, as doctors warned that her seizure stemmed from poor nutrition, stress, and inadequate sleep. A devout Muslim, she endured severe weight loss and significant health declines when her religious meal requirements were not met.
After attending a protest outside Columbia University in 2024, Kordia became part of the Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists. Despite being dismissed of charges, she remains the only protester from that demonstration still in detention, facing legal complexities surrounding her immigration status.
“For 11 months, the conditions have been unbearable,” she stated. Concerns have grown surrounding not just her situation but the treatment available to all detainees; Kordia believes the facility's design aims to shatter spirits and hinder health.
Amid mounting calls for change in immigration policies and scrutiny of treatment in detention centers, Kordia's case has been highlighted as a symbol of the urgent need for reform. The best medicine for me and everyone else here is our freedom, she concluded, pushing for justice and an end to her suffering.
