The postdoc with both teaching and research roles holds a legitimate student visa for the U.S. However, homeland security claims he is "currently disseminating Hamas propaganda" and "advocating antisemitism."
The administration of President Donald Trump has taken into custody an individual from India who is a postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University, planning to expel them following their classification as a risk to U.S. foreign policy.
Agents wearing masks arrested Badar Khan Suri near his residence in Arlington, Virginia on Monday. They accused him of having connections with the Palestinian militant organization Hamas, according to his attorney.
He was labeled as "removable" according to an infrequently applied immigration statute.
Tricia McLaughlin, who serves as the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, claimed that he was "actively disseminating Hamas propaganda and endorsing anti-Jewish sentiments on social media platforms."
"Suri maintains strong ties with an individual who is recognized as either a terrorist or a suspect, serving as a high-ranking adviser for Hamas," she stated.
The university was not aware of Suri's purported unlawful actions.
There was no proof offered to back up the department's statements. Suri hasn't been formally accused of any criminal activity.
A spokesman from Georgetown stated in an official announcement that they haven’t observed any unlawful actions from him and also mentioned that the cause behind his detainment remains undisclosed.
We uphold the right of our community members to engage in unrestricted exploration, discussion, and disagreement, even when the core concepts might be challenging, contentious, or disagreeable.
According to a federal database tracking immigration detainees, Suri is currently being kept at an immigration detention center in Louisiana, awaiting a court proceeding regarding his potential deportation.
He was conducting a session on "Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia."
“If the government deems an accomplished scholar specializing in conflict resolution detrimental to foreign policy, it might be indicative of issues within the government rather than shortcomings of the scholar,” stated Hassan Ahmad, Suri’s attorney.
Suri’s spouse, Mapheze Saleh, who holds US citizenship originating from Gaza, has contributed articles to Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and has collaborated with the foreign ministry of Gaza. Her lawyer states that she has not faced arrest.
Trump aims to deport pro-Palestinian demonstrators
Suri’s request for release mentions that he was put into deportation processes due to an infrequently used clause of immigration legislation, which was similarly employed to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student who spearheaded pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
This clause permits the Secretary of State to remove non-citizens from the country if their existence is considered detrimental to America’s international relations.
Khalil was removed from his residence in New York by federal authorities and informed that his student visa had been canceled—despite being a permanent U.S. resident who does not possess a student visa.
Khalil's planned deportation was halted by a judge. Suri's attorney is pursuing a comparable restraining order.
US President Donald Trump, without providing proof, has alleged that Khalil backs Hamas, which the United States labels as a "foreign terrorist organization."
Trump has also claimed that pro-Palestinian protesters are antisemitic. Pro-Palestinian advocates, including some Jewish groups, argue that their criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza and support for Palestinian rights are wrongly labeled as antisemitism.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse
Author: Nicholas Counter (in collaboration with Reuters)
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