Georgetown Researcher Freed After Judge Rules Detention Violated Rights Amid Activism Crackdown
Washington, D.C., May 15, 2025 — Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri has been released from a Texas immigration detention center following a federal judge’s ruling that his arrest and continued detention violated his constitutional rights.
Mr. Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral fellow at the prestigious university, was arrested on March 17 outside his home in Virginia by immigration agents. He was detained as part of the Trump administration’s growing scrutiny of college campus activists, particularly those involved in pro-Palestinian speech.
The U.S. government alleged that Mr. Suri had been spreading “Hamas propaganda” and had “connections to a known or suspected terrorist”, citing family links through his American wife, Mapheze Saleh. However, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles dismissed these allegations as unsubstantiated, noting that there was “no evidence” presented showing Mr. Suri had voiced support for Hamas.
“There was no evidence submitted to this court regarding statements that he made,” Judge Giles said, according to CBS News.
Ms. Saleh, a U.S. citizen, is the daughter of a former political advisor to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. In a court statement, she explained that her father, who had lived in the U.S. for nearly 20 years, left Gaza’s government in 2010 and later founded a peace and conflict resolution institute.
Speaking after the ruling, Ms. Saleh said,
“Hearing the judge’s words brought tears to my eyes. Speaking out about what’s happening in Palestine is not a crime.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is representing Mr. Suri, said the ruling affirms that freedom of speech and due process are not to be compromised, even in politically sensitive contexts. Nonetheless, the Trump administration is still pursuing deportation proceedings against him in a separate case.
Mr. Suri’s case is one of several recent detentions involving students and academics accused by U.S. immigration officials of promoting violence or terrorism in connection with their activism. Other high-profile cases include:
- Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and U.S. permanent resident, arrested on March 8 for alleged Hamas ties, which he denies.
- Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University student, who was detained in Louisiana in March after being arrested in Massachusetts. She was recently released on bail.
The clampdown has raised alarm among civil liberties groups, who argue that U.S. immigration enforcement is targeting individuals for protected political speech rather than credible national security threats.
For more global political and civil rights updates, visit BlogHear.com — your trusted source for balanced and insightful reporting.
