A federal judge has halted the deportation of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postgraduate scholar at Georgetown University, who was detained by US immigration authorities over allegations of ties to Hamas.
The ruling marks a legal setback for President Donald Trump’s administration, which has intensified efforts to expel individuals accused of engaging in activities deemed harmful to US foreign policy.
US District Judge Patricia Giles in Alexandria, Virginia, issued a three-paragraph order preventing Suri’s deportation until further review by the court. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused Suri of propagating Hamas ideology and antisemitic content on social media.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined on 15 March that Suri was subject to removal on these grounds, according to DHS.
Suri, who is married to an American citizen, was arrested outside his residence in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night and remains detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, awaiting an immigration court hearing. His lawyer welcomed the ruling, describing it as "the first bit of due process Dr. Khan Suri has received since he was snatched from his family Monday night."
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has also intervened in Suri’s defence, highlighting concerns over his treatment in custody.
The organisation stated that Suri had been moved between multiple detention facilities before being placed in Alexandria, Louisiana. The DHS has yet to respond to the court's order.
The case unfolds against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s stringent stance on immigration, particularly its focus on expelling individuals involved in pro-Palestinian protests following Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
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Critics argue that these measures disproportionately target political dissenters under obscure legal provisions.
Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, is married to Mapheze Saleh, a US citizen of Palestinian descent.
Saleh has contributed articles to Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and has previously worked with the foreign ministry in Gaza. She has not been detained.
Reports suggest that Saleh’s father, Ahmed Yousef, was formerly an adviser to Hamas and has written for international publications such as The Guardian.
Suri’s lawyer contends that his client is being persecuted due to his wife’s Palestinian heritage and his personal advocacy for Palestinian rights.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration also detained and sought to deport Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil over his alleged participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Khalil, who was moved to Louisiana, has denied links to Hamas and is challenging his detention in court.
President Trump has claimed that individuals supporting the Palestinian cause are "antisemitic" and pose a threat to US national interests.
However, pro-Palestinian advocates, including Jewish activist groups, maintain that criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza is being unfairly equated with antisemitism.
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