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'''Badar Khan Suri''' is an Indian academic and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University. He gained public attention in March 2025 after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on allegations of spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/19/trump-deportation-georgetown-graduate-student-00239754 "Trump is seeking to deport another academic who is legally in the country, lawsuit says"], Politico, March 19, 2025</ref><ref>[https://www.jta.org/2025/03/20/united-states/dhs-arrests-georgetown-researcher-who-is-married-to-the-daughter-of-a-hamas-official "DHS arrests Georgetown researcher who is married to the daughter of a Hamas official"], Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 20, 2025, by | [[File:Badar-Khan-Suri.png|thumb|right|Dr. Badar Khan Suri, Postdoctoral Fellow at Georgetown University.]] | ||
'''Badar Khan Suri''' is an Indian academic and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University specializing in peace and conflict studies. He gained public attention in March 2025 after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on allegations of spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.<ref name="Politico">[https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/19/trump-deportation-georgetown-graduate-student-00239754 "Trump is seeking to deport another academic who is legally in the country, lawsuit says"], ''Politico'', March 19, 2025</ref><ref>Philissa Cramer, [https://www.jta.org/2025/03/20/united-states/dhs-arrests-georgetown-researcher-who-is-married-to-the-daughter-of-a-hamas-official "DHS arrests Georgetown researcher who is married to the daughter of a Hamas official"], ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency'', March 20, 2025</ref> A federal judge subsequently blocked his deportation pending further court proceedings.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/03/20/georgetown-university-badar-khan-suri-detained/82565164007/ "Trump administration cannot deport pro-Palestinian Georgetown University student: judge"], ''USA Today'', March 20, 2025. Accessed March 20, 2025.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/20/trump-administration-attempting-to-deport-pro-palestinian-student-at-georgetown-university "Trump administration attempting to deport pro-Palestinian student at Georgetown University"], ''The Guardian'', March 20, 2025. Accessed March 20, 2025.</ref> | |||
== Early life and academic career == | |||
Suri was born and raised in Delhi, India. He completed his Ph.D. in Peace and Conflict Studies in 2020 at the Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.<ref>[https://indianexpress.com/article/world/who-badar-khan-suri-indian-scholar-us-detained-hamas-ties-9896191/ "Who is Badar Khan Suri, Indian scholar in US detained over 'Hamas ties'?"], ''The Indian Express'', March 20, 2025.</ref> His doctoral thesis, titled ''Transitional Democracy, Divided Societies and Prospects for Peace: A Study of State Building in Afghanistan and Iraq'', examined the challenges of introducing democracy in ethnically diverse societies and the complexities of state-building efforts.<ref name="ACMCU">[https://acmcu.georgetown.edu/profile/badar-khan-suri/ "Badar Khan Suri – ACMCU"], ''Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding'', Georgetown University. Accessed March 25, 2025.</ref> | |||
In 2022, Suri joined Georgetown University as a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding within the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. His research focuses on religion, violence, peace, and ethnic conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia.<ref name="ACMCU" /> At Georgetown, he taught a course on "Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia." | |||
== Detention and legal proceedings == | |||
On March 17, 2025, Suri was arrested at his home in Arlington, Virginia, by masked agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who informed him that his student visa had been revoked. DHS alleged that Suri was "actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media" and cited his "close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas."<ref name="Politico" /> | |||
Suri's legal team challenged his detention, arguing that it violated his due process rights and was based on his and his wife's support for Palestinian rights. His wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen of Palestinian heritage and a graduate student at Georgetown University.<ref name="Politico" /> On March 20, 2025, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles issued an order preventing Suri's deportation until further court rulings.<ref>[https://abcnews.go.com/US/georgetown-fellow-detained-alleged-hamas-ties-targeted-wifes/story?id=119983535 "Judge blocks deportation of Georgetown fellow detained by immigration authorities"], ''ABC News'', March 20, 2025.</ref> | |||
== University and public response == | |||
Georgetown University expressed support for Suri, stating they were unaware of any illegal activity on his part and emphasizing their commitment to free and open inquiry. Dean Joel Hellman of the School of Foreign Service voiced concern over the chilling effect such events could have on freedom of expression within the academic community.<ref>[https://sfs.georgetown.edu/news-deans-statement-on-detention-of-dr-badar-suri/ "Dean's Statement on Detention of Dr. Badar Suri"], ''Georgetown University School of Foreign Service'', March 20, 2025. Accessed March 20, 2025.</ref> | |||
Suri's detention has drawn significant attention from civil rights groups and the academic community, highlighting concerns about academic freedom and the potential suppression of dissenting views related to U.S. foreign policy. | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Latest revision as of 11:58, 25 March 2025
Badar Khan Suri is an Indian academic and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University specializing in peace and conflict studies. He gained public attention in March 2025 after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on allegations of spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.[1][2] A federal judge subsequently blocked his deportation pending further court proceedings.[3][4]
Early life and academic career
Suri was born and raised in Delhi, India. He completed his Ph.D. in Peace and Conflict Studies in 2020 at the Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.[5] His doctoral thesis, titled Transitional Democracy, Divided Societies and Prospects for Peace: A Study of State Building in Afghanistan and Iraq, examined the challenges of introducing democracy in ethnically diverse societies and the complexities of state-building efforts.[6]
In 2022, Suri joined Georgetown University as a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding within the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. His research focuses on religion, violence, peace, and ethnic conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia.[6] At Georgetown, he taught a course on "Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia."
Detention and legal proceedings
On March 17, 2025, Suri was arrested at his home in Arlington, Virginia, by masked agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who informed him that his student visa had been revoked. DHS alleged that Suri was "actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media" and cited his "close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas."[1]
Suri's legal team challenged his detention, arguing that it violated his due process rights and was based on his and his wife's support for Palestinian rights. His wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen of Palestinian heritage and a graduate student at Georgetown University.[1] On March 20, 2025, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles issued an order preventing Suri's deportation until further court rulings.[7]
University and public response
Georgetown University expressed support for Suri, stating they were unaware of any illegal activity on his part and emphasizing their commitment to free and open inquiry. Dean Joel Hellman of the School of Foreign Service voiced concern over the chilling effect such events could have on freedom of expression within the academic community.[8]
Suri's detention has drawn significant attention from civil rights groups and the academic community, highlighting concerns about academic freedom and the potential suppression of dissenting views related to U.S. foreign policy.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Trump is seeking to deport another academic who is legally in the country, lawsuit says", Politico, March 19, 2025
- ↑ Philissa Cramer, "DHS arrests Georgetown researcher who is married to the daughter of a Hamas official", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, March 20, 2025
- ↑ "Trump administration cannot deport pro-Palestinian Georgetown University student: judge", USA Today, March 20, 2025. Accessed March 20, 2025.
- ↑ "Trump administration attempting to deport pro-Palestinian student at Georgetown University", The Guardian, March 20, 2025. Accessed March 20, 2025.
- ↑ "Who is Badar Khan Suri, Indian scholar in US detained over 'Hamas ties'?", The Indian Express, March 20, 2025.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Badar Khan Suri – ACMCU", Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University. Accessed March 25, 2025.
- ↑ "Judge blocks deportation of Georgetown fellow detained by immigration authorities", ABC News, March 20, 2025.
- ↑ "Dean's Statement on Detention of Dr. Badar Suri", Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, March 20, 2025. Accessed March 20, 2025.