Washington, D.C. - In a controversial move, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has detained an Indian national currently studying at Georgetown University, aiming to deport him on the grounds that he poses a threat to U.S. foreign policy, according to statements made by the student's lawyer on Wednesday.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused Badar Khan Suri of having connections to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Allegations include the dissemination of Hamas propaganda and antisemitic content on social media platforms, as reported by Fox News. Notably, the DHS statement, which was also shared by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not provide any substantial evidence to support these claims.
According to the DHS, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has deemed Suri's actions as grounds for deportation. Suri, who is currently residing in the U.S. on a student visa and is married to a U.S. citizen, has been detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, and is now awaiting a court hearing in immigration court. His lawyer confirmed that federal agents arrested him outside his residence in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night.
This case emerges amid heightened scrutiny of foreign nationals participating in pro-Palestinian protests, which have surged following an October 2023 Hamas attack. President Trump’s administration is reportedly intensifying efforts to deport individuals linked to these protests, drawing criticism from civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups. Many argue that these actions unfairly target political dissenters and critics of U.S. policy.
Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown's Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, part of the university's School of Foreign Service. His arrest was first reported by Politico, and his lawyer expressed concern about the implications of targeting an academic focused on conflict resolution. In an email, the lawyer stated, "If an accomplished scholar who focuses on conflict resolution is whom the government decides is bad for foreign policy, then perhaps the problem is with the government, not the scholar."
A spokesperson from Georgetown University indicated that the institution has not received any justification for Suri's detention and is unaware of any illegal activities he may have engaged in. Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, a U.S. citizen originally from Gaza, has not been detained. According to the university's website, Saleh has contributed writings to Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and has worked with the foreign ministry in Gaza.
As part of his academic role, Suri has been teaching a course this semester on Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia and holds a Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies from an Indian university.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration detained another foreign student, Mahmoud Khalil, from Columbia University, seeking to deport him over his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Khalil is currently challenging his detention in court. President Trump has alleged, without presenting evidence, that Khalil supports Hamas. Khalil's legal representatives assert that he has no connections to the militant organization, which the U.S. classifies as a terrorist group.
The situation has ignited debates surrounding the conflation of criticism of Israel's military actions with antisemitism. Advocates for Palestinian rights, including several Jewish organizations, contend that their opposition to Israel's operations in Gaza is being mischaracterized as antisemitism by detractors.
This ongoing situation highlights significant tensions surrounding U.S. immigration policy, academic freedom, and the rights of individuals to express political beliefs, particularly in the context of international conflicts.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington and Jack Queen in New York; editing by Michelle Nichols, Michael Perry, and Saad Sayeed.
