Trump Administration Moves to Deport Indian Student Over Alleged Hamas Ties, Sparks Civil Rights Backlash

The Trump administration has detained and is seeking the deportation of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, citing alleged ties to Hamas and concerns over U.S. foreign policy.

The arrest has ignited debate over the government’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism, with civil rights groups warning of an erosion of academic freedom and political dissent.

Suri, who has been a scholar at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, was arrested outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night by federal agents, Reuters reports. He is currently being held in Alexandria, Louisiana, pending a hearing in immigration court.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in a statement shared with Fox News and reposted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, claimed Suri has links to Hamas and has spread “pro-Hamas propaganda and antisemitic content on social media.” However, the statement did not provide specific evidence to support these allegations.

According to DHS, Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Suri’s activities warranted his deportation. Despite this, Suri has denied any wrongdoing, and his attorney argues that the case is part of a broader effort to suppress political dissent.

“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,” Suri’s lawyer stated.

Georgetown University has expressed concern over Suri’s detention, stating that it has not been informed of the reasons behind his arrest and is unaware of any illegal activities involving him.

Suri has been teaching a class this semester titled “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia” and holds a Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies from an Indian university.

His wife, Mapheze Saleh, a U.S. citizen originally from Gaza, has not been arrested, but her background has also drawn media attention. According to Georgetown’s website, Saleh has contributed to Al Jazeera and Palestinian media and previously worked with Gaza’s foreign ministry.

Suri’s case is part of a larger crackdown by the Trump administration on foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Earlier this month, Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil was detained on similar grounds. Khalil, who is challenging his deportation, has denied any ties to Hamas, which the U.S. designates as a terrorist organization.

The administration’s aggressive stance on pro-Palestinian activism has sparked outcry from civil rights groups, who argue that the government is unfairly targeting activists under the pretext of national security.

Trump has repeatedly accused such protests of antisemitism, but advocacy organizations—including some Jewish groups—insist that criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza is being wrongly conflated with antisemitism.

With Suri’s case now heading to immigration court, legal experts and civil rights advocates are watching closely, warning that the outcome could have far-reaching implications for academic freedom and political expression in the U.S.