A federal judge has ruled in favor of Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University researcher detained under controversial circumstances related to his activism for Palestinian rights, after he was arrested by immigration agents in March.
Georgetown Researcher Wins Release from Detention Amid Controversy
Georgetown Researcher Wins Release from Detention Amid Controversy
Georgetown University's Badar Khan Suri, an academic detained over alleged ties to terrorism, has been released following a judge's ruling on free speech violations.
Georgetown University academic Badar Khan Suri is back with his family after being released from a Texas immigration detention center this week. Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown, was arrested outside his Virginia home on March 17 as part of a broader sweep by the Trump administration targeting campus activists.
Federal authorities accused him of promoting "Hamas propaganda" and suggested he had connections to terrorist organizations due to his familial ties in Gaza, particularly through his wife, Mapheze Saleh. However, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles determined that Suri's detention infringed upon his rights to free speech and due process, stating that no substantial evidence connected him to Hamas.
Judge Giles dismissed the claims made by the Justice Department about Suri’s alleged ties based on his father-in-law's former position as an advisor to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. His father-in-law has a complex history, having lived in the U.S. for almost two decades before returning to Gaza, where he served as a political advisor and later established a peace institute. Suri's wife passionately expressed her relief following the ruling, emphasizing the non-criminal nature of advocating for Palestinian rights.
While the court has ruled in Suri's favor, the Trump administration is reportedly pursuing his deportation in a separate ongoing process. Suri's case is part of a troubling trend in which several other students and academics have come under scrutiny for their pro-Palestine advocacy, raising concerns over their safety and the implications for academic freedom.
The recent detention and release of Georgetown's Suri occur in parallel with the case of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, who was released on bail under similar accusations. Collective apprehension regarding the treatment of foreign students and activists within U.S. college campuses continues to grow as more individuals face immigration challenges in the wake of their activism.
