A U.S. federal judge issued an order Thursday preventing the deportation of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University who was detained over alleged connections to Hamas.
Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles of the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that Suri "shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the court issues a contrary order," providing temporary relief as his case proceeds through the legal system.
Suri's detention came after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked his visa, claiming he had spread Hamas propaganda and promoted antisemitism on social media platforms. According to authorities, his presence was deemed a potential threat to U.S. foreign policy interests.
The researcher's legal team vigorously condemned the arrest as a "targeted, retaliatory detention" designed "to silence, or at the very least restrict and chill, his speech" as well as that of others who "express support for Palestinian rights." The case has drawn support from civil liberties organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
According to reports, Suri is married to Mapheze Saleh, who is of Palestinian descent and previously worked for Al Jazeera. Allegations suggest that Saleh's father served as a political adviser to senior Hamas leadership, though these claims remain unconfirmed.
Suri is currently being held in an immigration detention facility in Louisiana and is scheduled to appear before an immigration court on May 6, 2025, in Los Fresnos, Texas.
The case has ignited significant debate within academic circles about potential threats to research freedom and free speech rights in the early months of President Donald Trump's new administration. Faculty members and students at Georgetown University have expressed concern about the implications of Suri's detention for academic freedom and the chilling effect it might have on campus discourse relating to Middle Eastern politics and human rights.
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Researcher Badar Khan Suri and Easterndistrict Virginia Court (file photos)

Georgetown researcher with alleged Hamas ties granted temporary stay by Virginia judge

US Court Blocks Deportation of Indian Academic

Georgetown researcher with alleged Hamas ties granted temporary stay by Virginia judge

March 21, 2025 | 08:39 IST