US government cannot deport Georgetown scholar until judge orders it, court rules
Badr Khan Suri, an international student in the United States on a student visa
Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, was arrested earlier this week. His detention has raised academic concerns about threats to free speech and research.
A US district court judge has stayed the deportation of Indian researcher Badr Khan Suri, who was arrested on charges of having ties to Hamas.
According to an AFP report, Judge Patricia Toliver Giles of the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that “Suri shall not be removed from the United States unless the court orders otherwise.
Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, was arrested earlier this week. His detention has raised concerns among academics about threats to free speech under the administration of US President Donald Trump.
His lawyer called the arrest a “targeted, retaliatory detention” aimed at “stopping, or at least limiting and silencing, him and “others who express support for Palestinian rights.”
👉Watch the video > Judge orders Trump administration not to deport Georgetown U. post-doctorate research
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has taken up his case and is filing an emergency motion to block his deportation. “Taking someone away from their home and family, stripping them of their immigration status, and detaining them based solely on political views is a clear attempt by President Trump to suppress dissent,”
ACLU lawyer Sophia Gregg said, according to an AFP report. Suri is currently being held at an immigration detention center in Louisiana.
Who is Badr Khan Suri?
Badr Khan Suri is an international student living in the United States on a student visa. He is married to U.S. citizen Mafeje Saleh. Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University’s Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which is part of the School of Foreign Service.
According to Georgetown University's website, Suri's wife, Mafejeh Saleh, is a Gaza resident. She has written for the Qatari-funded Al Jazeera and other Palestinian media groups. She has also worked with the Gaza Foreign Ministry.
Suri received his PhD from Jamia Millia Islamia's Nelson Mandela Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution in 2020. He currently teaches a class on 'Majority and Minority Rights in South Asia'.
👉Watch the video > US Judge Patricia Giles Halts Deportation Of Badar Khan Suri Amid Hamas Support Allegations
University supports Suri
Meanwhile, Georgetown University has supported Suri, saying it does not know of any illegal activity. "Dr. Khan Suri is an Indian national who was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to conduct doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We are not aware of any illegal activity on his part and find no reason to detain him," the university said.
His lawyer also argued that "neither Secretary of State Marco Rubio, nor any other government official, has alleged that Suri committed any crime or violated any law." The lawsuit claims that Suri was detained “based on her family connections and constitutionally protected freedom of speech.”
Suri was arrested outside her home in Virginia on Monday night. Authorities have charged her with “spreading Hamas propaganda” and “having close ties to a suspected terrorist.”
👉Watch the video > U.S Court Blocks Deportation of Indian Academic Amid Hamas Propaganda Allegations
0 Comments