The administration of US President Donald Trump has detained an Indian national studying at Georgetown University in Washington, with plans to deport him after labeling him a threat to US foreign policy, according to the student’s attorney on Wednesday.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Badar Khan Suri of having connections to the Palestinian militant organization Hamas and claimed he disseminated Hamas propaganda and antisemitic content on social media, based on a statement provided to Fox News.
In a statement to Fox News, which was shared by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, the DHS did not present any evidence. It mentioned that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had concluded that Suri’s actions “rendered him deportable.”
Suri, who resides in the US on a student visa and is married to an American citizen, has been detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, awaiting an immigration court hearing, as stated by his lawyer. Federal agents apprehended him outside his residence in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday evening.
This case arises amidst Trump’s efforts to deport foreigners who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations against the recent conflict involving Israel, a US ally, following an October 2023 attack by Hamas, which includes Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate of Columbia University.
Trump’s actions have ignited outrage among civil rights and immigrant advocacy organizations, who accuse his administration of unfairly targeting political dissenters.
Suri is currently 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 initially reported by Politico.
“If a respected scholar who specializes in conflict resolution is deemed detrimental to foreign policy, perhaps the issue lies with the government, not the scholar,” Suri’s attorney articulated in an email.
A spokesperson from Georgetown University stated that the institution had not been given a reason for Suri’s detention and was unaware of him engaging in any illegal activities.
Suri’s wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a US citizen, according to his lawyer. Saleh is originally from Gaza and, as noted on the Georgetown University website, has contributed to Al Jazeera and various Palestinian media, along with working with Gaza’s foreign affairs ministry.
Suri has been teaching a course this semester titled “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia” and holds a PhD in peace and conflict studies from an Indian university, as per the Georgetown University website.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration detained and sought to deport Khalil due to his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Khalil is currently contesting his detention in court.
Trump has made unverified claims accusing Khalil of supporting Hamas. Khalil’s legal team contends that he has no connections to the militant group identified by the US as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
Trump has alleged that pro-Palestinian demonstrators exhibit antisemitic tendencies. Pro-Palestinian advocates, including some Jewish groups, argue that their critiques of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and support for Palestinian rights are wrongly equated with antisemitism by their opponents.
