US federal judge has ordered US immigration officials not to deport Indian research scholar Badar Khan Suri, who was detained earlier this week by the Trump administration. Suri’s legal team is fighting for his immediate release, arguing that he is being targeted for his academic work and personal beliefs rather than any actual wrongdoing.
Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding, has no criminal record and holds a valid visa as a visiting scholar. His wife, Mapheze Saleh, is an outspoken critic of the Israeli government and the violence it has perpetrated against Palestinians.US authorities claim Suri has “close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas”. A Department of Homeland Security official said Suri was actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.
The Secretary of State determined on March 15, 2025, that “Suri’s activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable.” Democratic US Representative Don Beyer condemned the scholar’s detention as unlawful and urged the court to review his case. Suri’s legal team has filed a lawsuit demanding his release, claiming that agents identified themselves as being with the Department of Homeland Security and told him the government had revoked his visa.
