The administration of US President Donald Trump has detained an Indian student, Badar Khan Suri, who is pursuing his studies at Washington’s Georgetown University, and is now pushing for his deportation after labeling him a threat to US foreign policy. Suri’s lawyer revealed the details on Wednesday.
According to a statement shared with Fox News by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Suri has been accused of having ties to Hamas and promoting the group’s propaganda and anti-Semitic content on social media. The statement, reposted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not provide specific evidence but claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had determined Suri’s activities made him eligible for deportation.
Suri, who is in the US on a student visa and is married to an American citizen, has been held in a detention center in Alexandria, Louisiana, while awaiting a court hearing. His lawyer stated that federal agents arrested him outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night.
This case emerges as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to deport foreigners involved in pro-Palestinian protests criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza following the October 2023 Hamas attack. Critics, including civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups, argue that the administration is unfairly targeting political dissenters.
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.
Suri’s lawyer defended him, stating, “If an accomplished scholar focused on conflict resolution is deemed harmful to foreign policy, perhaps the issue lies with the government, not the scholar.” A Georgetown University spokesperson said the institution has not been informed of the reasons for Suri’s detention and is unaware of any illegal activities on his part.
Meanwhile, a DHS spokesperson alleged that Suri had “close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior adviser to Hamas,” according to Anadolu Agency.
Suri’s wife, Mapheze Saleh, a US citizen from Gaza, has not been arrested. According to Georgetown’s website, Saleh has written for Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and previously worked with Gaza’s foreign ministry.
Suri, who holds a PhD in peace and conflict studies from an Indian university, has been teaching a course this semester on “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia.”
This incident follows the recent arrest and deportation efforts against Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, who participated in pro-Palestinian protests. Khalil, who denies any ties to Hamas, is contesting his detention in court.
Trump has repeatedly accused pro-Palestinian protesters of anti-Semitism, a claim disputed by advocates, including some Jewish groups, who argue that criticism of Israel’s policies should not be equated with anti-Jewish sentiment.