BADAR KHAN SURI GEORGETOWN UNIV HAMAS ADVOCATE

BY SNN.BZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Indian Researcher Badar Khan Suri Arrested by ICE Over Alleged Hamas Ties

On Monday night, March 17, 2025, Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused Suri of “actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media,” alleging that he has close connections to a senior advisor of Hamas, a Palestinian militant group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. Suri now faces deportation proceedings under a rarely used provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, raising questions about free speech, immigration policy, and U.S. foreign relations.

Who Is Badar Khan Suri?

Badar Khan Suri is an accomplished scholar whose academic career has focused on peace and conflict studies. Born in India, he earned his PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi in 2020, with his doctoral thesis exploring state-building in Afghanistan and Iraq. He later joined Georgetown University’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding as a postdoctoral fellow, where he has been conducting research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan while teaching a course titled “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia.” Suri entered the United States on a student visa, granted to pursue his doctoral research.

Suri’s personal life has also drawn attention. He is married to Mapheze Saleh, a U.S. citizen of Palestinian descent from Gaza. The couple met in 2011 when Suri participated in an international humanitarian convoy to Gaza, where Saleh worked as a translator. They married in 2014 and have a son named Arafat. Saleh has reportedly written for Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and has ties to Gaza’s political landscape, including her father, Ahmed Yousef, who is described as a former senior political advisor to Hamas leadership.

The Arrest and Allegations

According to a DHS statement, Suri’s arrest stems from his alleged online activities, which the agency claims include promoting Hamas propaganda and antisemitic rhetoric. While specific evidence has not been publicly detailed, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that Suri “has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.” This is widely believed to refer to his father-in-law, Ahmed Yousef, a figure long associated with Hamas and described by some as the group’s “gate to the West” due to his years living in the U.S.

On March 15, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Suri’s presence and activities in the United States posed “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences,” rendering him deportable under Section 237(a)(4)(C)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Following his arrest, Suri was transferred to an ICE detention facility at Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana, where he awaits an immigration court hearing.

Legal and University Response

Suri’s attorney, Hassan Ahmad, has filed a writ of habeas corpus in federal court in Virginia, challenging the legality of his detention. The petition argues that Suri is being targeted due to his wife’s Palestinian heritage and the couple’s vocal support for Palestinian rights, rather than any concrete evidence of wrongdoing. It notes that Suri has no criminal record and has not been charged with a crime, framing the arrest as a politically motivated action by the Trump administration. Ahmad told reporters, “If an accomplished scholar who focuses on conflict resolution is whom the government decides is bad for foreign policy, then perhaps the problem is with the government, not the scholar.”

Georgetown University, where Suri has been affiliated, issued a statement expressing support for its community members’ rights to “free and open inquiry, deliberation, and debate.” The university spokesperson added, “We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly.” The university has not commented on the specific allegations against Suri.

Broader Context

Suri’s arrest comes amid a heightened crackdown by the Trump administration on individuals perceived as sympathizing with groups like Hamas, particularly on U.S. university campuses. Earlier in March, Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder, was detained by ICE for his role in pro-Palestinian protests, and Indian student Ranjani Srinivasan “self-deported” to Canada after her visa was revoked for similar activities. These cases reflect a broader policy shift, with President Trump and key figures like White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller emphasizing the deportation of “terrorist sympathizers” and those engaged in “anti-American activity.”

The allegations against Suri have sparked debate about the balance between national security and free expression. Critics argue that the lack of transparent evidence and the use of a vague immigration statute raise concerns about potential overreach, especially given Suri’s academic focus on peacebuilding. Supporters of the administration’s actions, however, contend that ties to designated terrorist organizations, even indirect ones, justify swift intervention.

What’s Next?