Judge orders release of Indian academic held over pro-Palestine stance
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Georgetown postdoctoral scholar Badar Khan Suri had his visa canceled and was detained by immigration officers in March.
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Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown scholar from India who was arrested on March 17 (ACLU of Virginia via AP)
A federal judge in Virginia has ordered the immediate release of Georgetown academic Badar Khan Suri from ICE detention, following a hearing on Wednesday.
Khan Suri, an Indian citizen and legal US resident studying in the country, had been detained for two months amid a broader Trump administration crackdown on pro-Palestine activism. He was being held at an immigration facility in Alvarado, Texas.
US District Judge Patricia Giles ruled that Khan Suri's release would take effect immediately, without bond or conditions. She added that Khan Suri’s release was “in the public interest to disrupt the chilling effect on protected speech” during the hearing, noting the government failed to provide sufficient evidence to support several of its claims.
News of the decision was met with cheers from a large group of demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse. Khan Suri was initially detained on March 17, sparking outcry from free speech and human rights advocates.
Allegations tied to family, social media
Immigration officials revoked Badar Khan Suri’s J-1 student visa, citing his familial connection to Ahmed Yousef, a former advisor to Hamas more than a decade ago. They also alleged he was “deportable” due to his social media posts expressing support for Palestine. Yousef has stated that Khan Suri was never involved in any political activity on behalf of Hamas.
On March 15, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a determination claiming Khan Suri’s presence in the country "would have potentially serious foreign policy consequences,” according to a statement submitted by a Virginia immigration office.
Khan Suri, who is married to Palestinian American citizen Mapheze Saleh, is a senior postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU).
His detention sparked backlash from the academic community, with many students and alumni signing a letter opposing ICE’s actions.
In March, Judge Patricia Giles blocked federal officials from deporting Khan Suri after his wife filed an emergency court petition seeking to halt his removal.
Khan's detainment came amid a surge in protests across the United States, many involving pro-Palestine students, immigrants, and members of Arab communities, particularly from Lebanon and Palestine.
Rasha Alawieh, a professor at Brown University and physician at Rhode Island Hospital, was also detained by US Customs and Border Protection on March 16 and deported despite having legal status in the country.
