The US government has detained Indian student Badar Khan Suri, who is studying at Georgetown University, and is seeking his deportation over alleged ties to Hamas. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Suri spread Hamas propaganda and antisemitic content on social media, though no evidence has been publicly cited.
Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, was arrested outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, and is currently being held in Alexandria, Louisiana. His lawyer has denied the allegations, stating that the accusations are politically motivated. Georgetown University has also stated that it has not been informed of any illegal activities by Suri.
The move comes amid broader efforts by former President Donald Trump’s administration to deport foreigners involved in pro-Palestinian protests following Israel’s war in Gaza. Civil rights groups have condemned the crackdown, arguing that it unfairly targets political dissenters.
Suri’s wife, Mapheze Saleh, a US citizen from Gaza, has not been arrested. Suri has been teaching a course on majoritarianism and minority rights in South Asia and holds a Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies from an Indian university. His case has drawn attention to the Trump administration’s handling of pro-Palestinian activism in the US.
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