The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has detained an Indian student studying at Georgetown University and is seeking to deport him after determining he poses a threat to U.S. foreign policy, according to the student’s attorney.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused Badar Khan Suri of having ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas and spreading Hamas propaganda and antisemitism on social media, according to a statement shared with Fox News.
The DHS statement, which was reposted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not provide any evidence to support the allegations. It said Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Suri’s activities “rendered him deportable.”
Suri, who is in the U.S. on a student visa and is married to an American citizen, is currently being held in Alexandria, Louisiana, awaiting a court hearing in immigration court, his lawyer stated. Federal agents arrested him outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night.
Context and Legal Concerns
The case comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to deport foreign nationals involved in pro-Palestinian protests following Israel’s war in Gaza, triggered by an October 2023 Hamas attack. Civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups have criticized these measures, arguing that the administration is unfairly targeting political dissidents.
Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which is part of the university’s School of Foreign Service. His arrest was first reported by Politico.
“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,” Suri’s lawyer said in an email.
A spokesperson for Georgetown University stated that the institution had not received an explanation for Suri’s detention and was unaware of any illegal activity on his part.
Suri’s wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen and a native of Gaza, according to the Georgetown University website. She has contributed articles to Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and has previously worked with the foreign ministry in Gaza. Saleh has not been arrested, Suri’s lawyer confirmed.
Suri has been teaching a course this semester titled “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia” and holds a Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies from an Indian university, according to his university profile.
Precedent and Political Implications
This case follows the recent arrest and deportation proceedings against Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, whom the Trump administration accused of supporting Hamas due to his participation in pro-Palestinian protests. Khalil is currently contesting his detention in court.
Trump has accused pro-Palestinian demonstrators of antisemitism, though his claims have been widely disputed. Advocacy groups, including some Jewish organizations, argue that criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and support for Palestinian rights are being unfairly equated with antisemitism.
As legal proceedings unfold, the case of Badar Khan Suri has intensified concerns about academic freedom, civil liberties, and the Trump administration’s crackdown on political dissent among foreign students in the U.S.
