In a dramatic move, the Donald Trump administration has detained Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, accusing him of spreading Hamas propaganda and engaging in antisemitic rhetoric on social media. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has deemed him a threat to U.S. foreign policy, with plans underway for his deportation.
Arrest and Allegations
Federal agents arrested Suri outside his residence in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night. They are holding him in Alexandria, Louisiana, as he awaits a court appearance in immigration court. DHS issued a statement about the arrest, which White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller amplified, despite providing no concrete evidence to support the claims against Suri.
The statement further noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally deemed Suri’s activities “deportable.”
Who is Badar Khan Suri?
Suri holds a student visa as an Indian citizen and works as a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which is part of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. He holds a PhD in peace and conflict studies from an Indian university and has been teaching a course on “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia.”
His wife, Mapheze Saleh, a U.S. citizen from Gaza, has worked for Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets. She previously collaborated with Gaza’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, raising questions about whether her connections factored into the administration’s decision to target Suri.
Georgetown University Responds
A spokesperson for Georgetown University stated that they had not been informed of the reasons behind Suri’s detention and had no knowledge of his alleged involvement in illegal activities. The university is monitoring the situation closely.
Trump’s Crackdown on ‘Antisemitism’
The arrest of Suri aligns with a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on pro-Palestinian activism in U.S. universities. Federal investigations have been launched against institutions like Columbia University, UC Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, and Portland State University for allegedly failing to protect Jewish students from harassment by anti-war demonstrators.
Earlier this month, another student, Mahmoud Khalil of Columbia University, was detained and faces deportation over accusations of supporting Hamas—a claim his lawyers vehemently deny.
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Political Ramifications
With Trump doubling down on his stance against pro-Palestinian advocacy, critics argue that these actions reflect an effort to stifle academic freedom and dissent. The administration’s push to link student activism to Hamas has ignited debates over free speech and political repression.
As Suri awaits his fate in immigration court, his case could set a precedent for how universities and students engaged in Middle Eastern affairs navigate an increasingly charged political landscape in the U.S.
