Priyanka Tiwari
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Badar Khan Suri, a student at Georgetown University, has been detained by U.S. authorities amid accusations of links to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Suri allegedly spread Hamas propaganda and antisemitic content on social media. This follows the recent case of Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian student at Columbia University, who chose to self-deport after her visa was revoked.
Accusations and Detention of Suri
Suri, who is on a student visa in the U.S. and is married to a U.S. citizen, was arrested outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia. He is now being held in Alexandria, Louisiana, awaiting an immigration court hearing. The DHS statement, which was shared by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not provide concrete evidence for the allegations but noted that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined Suri's actions made him deportable.
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 has sparked controversy, especially as it occurs amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to deport individuals involved in pro-Palestinian protests in the wake of the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Controversy Over Political Activism and Academic Freedom
Suri’s case raises concerns about academic freedom and the scrutiny of foreign students involved in political discourse. The Trump administration's actions have faced criticism from civil rights groups, who argue that the government is unfairly targeting political dissent. Suri's lawyer has defended him, stating that as a scholar focused on conflict resolution, Suri's work should not be seen as detrimental to foreign policy.
Georgetown University, where Suri works as a postdoctoral fellow, has stated it was unaware of any illegal activities associated with him. The university has also expressed confusion over the reasons behind his detention.
Wife’s Background and Further Details
Suri’s wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen, and she has not been arrested. Saleh, originally from Gaza, has written for Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets. She has also worked with the foreign ministry in Gaza. Suri himself has been teaching a class this semester on "Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia," according to the Georgetown University website.
A Growing Pattern of Scrutiny on Pro-Palestinian Activism
This incident follows a similar case involving Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student who was arrested and threatened with deportation for participating in pro-Palestinian protests. Critics, including some Jewish groups, argue that pro-Palestinian activism is being wrongly conflated with antisemitism, a claim often used to justify such actions. Trump has accused protestors of supporting Hamas, but legal teams involved in these cases argue that these accusations are baseless.
