Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, has been released from federal custody in Texas after a judge ruled his arrest violated constitutional protections, marking a significant legal victory amid growing concerns over the treatment of pro-Palestine advocates in the United States.
Suri, an Indian national on a student visa, was detained by immigration authorities outside his home in Virginia on March 17 as part of a Trump-era crackdown on pro-Palestine activism on U.S. college campuses. Federal agents accused him of spreading “Hamas propaganda” and cited alleged family ties to terrorism—claims that were ultimately dismissed in court.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ordered Suri’s immediate release, citing violations of his First and Fifth Amendment rights. In her ruling, Giles emphasized the absence of any credible evidence linking Suri to Hamas or terrorist activities, stating that his arrest appeared to be politically motivated.
Suri’s legal team, backed by the ACLU, argued that he was singled out due to his outspoken advocacy for Palestinian human rights and his marriage to Mapheze Saleh, a U.S. citizen whose late father once held a position in Gaza’s Hamas-affiliated government. Saleh said her father had renounced any political affiliations before leaving the region in 2010 and had lived in the United States for nearly 20 years.
“This was never about national security,” said ACLU attorney Daniel Freidman. “It was about silencing dissent and punishing people for their political views.”
Saleh, speaking through the ACLU, described her husband’s release as a bittersweet moment. “Badar viewed his detention as a badge of honor,” she said. “He stood for justice in Gaza, and this experience has only deepened his resolve.”
Despite the ruling, federal immigration authorities under the Trump administration are still pursuing deportation proceedings against Suri, raising alarms among civil rights organizations and university communities.
Suri’s case is one of several involving international students and scholars facing detention over alleged ties to Palestinian political organizations. Earlier this month, ICE released Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, as well as two others—Tufts student Zeynep Ozturk and Columbia’s Lina Mahdawi—following similar legal challenges.
Advocates warn that these cases represent a broader effort to criminalize pro-Palestine speech on American campuses.
“Academic freedom and human rights advocacy are under attack,” said Professor Rana El-Khatib, a Georgetown colleague of Suri. “But this ruling is a reminder that the Constitution still matters.”
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Suri is expected to return to Georgetown this week to resume his research. His legal team has vowed to continue fighting the deportation effort.