Who Is Badar Khan Suri, the Indian Researcher Facing Deportation from the U.S.?

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, has recently been detained by U.S. immigration authorities and is facing potential deportation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleges that Suri has been “actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism” on social media platforms. Additionally, DHS claims he maintains “close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.” These allegations have led to the revocation of his student visa and subsequent detention. ​

Also Read: Trump invokes 18th-century law to speed deportations, judge stalls it hours later

Who is Badar Khan Suri? 

Badar Khan Suri is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, DC. He completed his Ph.D. in Peace and Conflict Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia’s Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution in New Delhi in 2020. His doctoral thesis, titled “Transitional Democracy, Divided Societies and Prospects for Peace: A Study of State Building in Afghanistan and Iraq,” examined the complexities of introducing democracy in ethnically diverse societies and the challenges associated with state-building efforts.

What legal actions have been taken in this case?

In response to his detention, Suri’s legal counsel has filed a writ of habeas corpus challenging the legality of his detention. The petition suggests that Suri’s arrest may be linked to his wife’s Palestinian heritage and their advocacy for Palestinian rights. His wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen from Gaza and a first-year graduate student at Georgetown’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies. The case has raised concerns among civil rights advocates about potential violations of First Amendment rights, especially regarding the targeting of individuals based on their political views.​

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused Indian researcher Badar Khan Suri of having ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas and spreading Hamas propaganda and antisemitic content on social media, Reuters reported. A DHS statement, shared with Fox News and reposted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, cited these allegations but provided no evidence. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ruled that Suri’s actions made him “deportable.”

Also Read: What is Hamas, the Palestinian militant group?

What is the current status of Badar Khan Suri’s deportation case?

As of March 19, 2025, Suri is being held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Alexandria, Louisiana. His legal team continues to advocate for his release, challenging the grounds of his detention and the allegations against him. 

The case comes as US President Donald Trump aims to deport foreigners who were involved in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza after the Hamas attack in October 2023. These measures have caused backlash from civil rights and immigrant groups, who say his administration is unfairly targeting people who speak against the government.