Badar Khan Suri Released from Detention

A federal judge has ordered the release of Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University, who was detained by immigration officials in March over allegations of disseminating propaganda in favor of Hamas.

During a court hearing in Virginia, Judge Patricia Toliver Giles stated that the government had failed to provide evidence to counter Suri’s claim that he faced repercussions for his views regarding the Gaza conflict.

Suri, who is married to an American citizen, had been in federal custody in Texas after his arrest. Originally from India and holding a student visa, he was accused by the Department of Homeland Security of “actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting anti-Semitism on social media.”

The DHS also claimed that Suri had connections with known or suspected terrorists associated with Hamas, although they did not specify any names.

On March 15, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Suri “deportable” under a rarely invoked provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This action was taken due to concerns that Suri’s activities could lead to “serious diplomatic consequences for the United States.”

Despite these allegations, it was noted that Suri had legitimately obtained a visa to enter the U.S. for his doctoral studies on peacebuilding in regions like Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a Georgetown University spokesperson.