The United States on Wednesday initiated deportation proceedings against Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national studying at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., citing concerns over US foreign policy.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Suri of having ties to Hamas, alleging that he spread Hamas propaganda and antisemitic content on social media. The DHS statement, reposted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not provide evidence but emphasized that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had determined Suri’s actions warranted deportation.
Suri, who is in the US on a student visa and married to an American citizen, is currently detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, awaiting an immigration court hearing. Federal agents reportedly arrested him outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night.
His case unfolds amid President Trump’s broader efforts to deport foreigners involved in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, following Hamas’ October 2023 attack. These measures have drawn criticism from civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups, who argue that the administration is unfairly targeting political dissenters.
Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, part of the university’s School of Foreign Service. A Georgetown spokesperson stated that the university had not been given a reason for Suri’s detention and was unaware of any illegal activity on his part.
