Indian student at Georgetown University detained in US for ‘spreading Hamas propaganda’, ‘antisemitism’ on social media
US President Donald Trump’s administration has detained Badar Khan Suri, an Indian student studying at Washington’s Georgetown University, for alleged ties with the Palestinian militant group Hamas and spreading its propaganda on social media, Fox News reported on Thursday, citing a statement from the Department of Homeland Security.
The Donald Trump administration is seeking to deport him after deeming him a harm to US foreign policy, the student’s lawyer said.
Badar Khan Suri’s lawyer added that he been detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, and is awaiting a court date in immigration court. He also said Suri was arrested by federal agents arrested outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night.
The statement, reposted by White House deputy chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not cite evidence for its allegations against the Indian student. It also said Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Suri’s activities “rendered him deportable”. The Georgetown University student is also accused of spreading “antisemitism” on social media.
A university spokesperson said the institution has not received a reason for Suri’s detention and was unaware of his engagement in alleged illegal activities.
Who is Badar Khan Suri?
Badar Khan Suri, who has been living in the US on a student visa, is married to Mapheze Saleh, a US citizen. He is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which is part of the university’s School of Foreign Service.
According to the Georgetown University website, Mapheze Saleh is from Gaza and has written for Qatari government-funded broadcaster Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets. She has also worked with the ministry of foreign affairs in war-ravaged strip.
Suri has a PhD in in peace and conflict studies from an Indian university and has been teaching a class this semester on “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia”.
Trump’s crackdown on ‘antisemitism’
The Trump administration has alleged that pro-Palestinian protesters are “antisemitic”, who deny that any criticism of Israel’s military actions Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank.
The White House is also reviewing funding for universities, citing their alleged failure to protect Jewish students from harassment by anti-war protesters.
Institutions under such investigation include Columbia University, the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, and Portland State University.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration arrested a Columbia University student, Mahmoud Khalil, and tried to deport him because he took part in pro-Palestinian protests. Khalil is now challenging his detention in court.
Trump, without proof, has claimed that Khalil supports Hamas. However, Khalil’s lawyers say he has no connection to the group, which the U.S. calls a “foreign terrorist organisation.”