A U.S. court has blocked the Trump administration from deporting a Georgetown University researcher who was detained by immigration authorities last week. Badar Khan Suri, the Indian postdoctoral researcher, was detained by federal immigration officials, who accused him of promoting “anti-Semitic rhetoric” and “Hamas propaganda”, and harming U.S. foreign policy goals.
Mr. Suri’s academic pursuits have been deeply rooted in understanding and resolving conflicts in some of the world’s most volatile regions. He completed his Ph.D. in Peace and Conflict Studies at the Nelson Mandela Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, in 2020. His thesis, titled ‘Transitional Democracy, Divided Societies and Prospects for Peace: A Study of State Building in Afghanistan and Iraq’, delved into the challenges of implementing democratic systems in ethnically diverse societies and the intricacies of state-building in post-conflict zones.
Postdoctoral fellow
In 2022, he joined Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service as a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. His research at Georgetown has focused on democratic solutions to long-standing sectarian and ideological conflicts, particularly in West Asia and South Asia. He is an international student from India legally residing in the U.S. on a J-1 non-immigrant visa for researchers with his wife, a Georgetown graduate student with Palestinian heritage and U.S. citizenship.
On March 17, Mr. Suri was detained outside his residence in Virginia by federal immigration authorities. The Department of Homeland Security highlighted his alleged connections to a known or suspected terrorist, explicitly referring to his father-in-law, Ahmed Yousef, a former senior political adviser to the Hamas leadership.
Mr. Suri’s legal team has vehemently denied these allegations, emphasising that he holds a valid visa, and that he has no criminal record. They have argued that his detention infringes upon his First Amendment rights. They say his academic work and personal associations are being unjustly scrutinised, potentially as a means to suppress dissenting views on U.S. foreign policy, particularly concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In response to his detention, Georgetown University issued a statement expressing support for Mr. Suri’s academic endeavours and affirming that it was unaware of any illegal activities on his part. The university underscored the importance of academic freedom and due process and anticipated a fair resolution.
Personal ties with Gaza
Mr. Suri’s connection to West Asia extends beyond his academic work. In 2011, he travelled to Gaza as part of an international humanitarian delegation, an experience that would shape his personal and professional life. During his visit, he met Mapheze Saleh, a native of Gaza, whom he later married.
The couple planned to wed in Gaza, but Mr. Suri and his family could not attend the ceremony due to travel restrictions. Ms. Saleh, now a graduate student at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, has recently faced scrutiny from right-wing media over her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Her father, Ahmed Yousef, previously served as an official in Gaza’s Hamas-run government, but stepped away from his role more than a decade ago. He has since publicly criticised Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Despite the controversy surrounding his family ties, Mr. Yousef has maintained that Mr. Suri is not involved in any political activities related to Hamas.
The U.S. government has designated Hamas as a terrorist organisation, and any perceived association with it can lead to severe legal consequences. However, critics argue that such designations can sometimes be applied broadly, potentially ensnaring individuals engaged in legitimate academic or humanitarian work related to Palestinian issues.
The case against Mr. Suri comes as U.S. President Donald Trump aims to deport foreigners who were involved in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s war on Gaza which followed Hamas’s attack in October 2023. These measures have triggered criticisms from civil rights and immigrant groups, who say the Trump administration is unfairly targeting people who speak against the government and Israel’s war.
Published – March 23, 2025 01:19 am IST
