Student-led protests in support of Palestine intensified in Washington, DC, as demonstrators marched to George Washington University demanding the release of two detained academics: Badar Khan Suri of Georgetown University and Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil.

The demonstration, held on Saturday, was organized by the advocacy group Students for Justice in Palestine. Protesters voiced anger over what they view as a growing crackdown on individuals who speak out in support of Palestinians. The crowd specifically called for the immediate release of Suri and Khalil.

Suri, a postdoctoral fellow specializing in peace and conflict studies at Georgetown, was taken into custody on Thursday and transferred to a detention center in Louisiana. According to legal documents filed by his attorney, Hassan Ahmad, based in Virginia, Suri's arrest was politically motivated. Ahmad wrote that Suri had been targeted because of his wife's "identity as a Palestinian and her constitutionally protected speech." He added that both Suri and his wife, Mapheze Saleh, "have long been doxxed and smeared."

Fleur, an international student at Georgetown University, speaks in solidarity with her fellow student and postdoctoral fellow, Badar Khan Suri, who was arbitrarily detained by United States immigration authorities for his involvement in pro-Palestine solidarity events. pic.twitter.com/HkRfhVMHLP

— Maktoob (@MaktoobMedia) March 22, 2025

Mahmoud Khalil, who holds permanent residency in the US, has also come under scrutiny. He was detained by immigration authorities following his involvement in pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University. The Trump administration claims Khalil supported Hamas, and has argued that his immigration status does not guarantee First Amendment protections. "Free speech rights do not extend to a non-US citizen," the administration contends.

These arrests come amid a surge in protests across the United States, many involving pro-Palestinian students, immigrants, and members of Arab communities, particularly from Lebanon and Palestine.

Read more: 'I am a political prisoner': Mahmoud Khalil speaks out from detention

Another recent case involved Rasha Alawieh, a professor at Brown University and physician at Rhode Island Hospital. After returning from a family visit to Lebanon, Alawieh was detained by US Customs and Border Protection on March 16 at Boston's Logan Airport and deported, despite having legal status in the country.

Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced on March 15 that the US Department of Justice is pursuing an investigation into the Columbia University Gaza protests for possible violations of terrorism laws.

Blanche stated, "It is long overdue" for the department to act, framing the move as part of the Trump administration's broader effort to curb "anti-Semitism". "We are also looking at whether Columbia's handling of earlier incidents violated civil rights laws and included terrorist crimes," he said.