US court blocks deportation of 'pro-Hamas' Indian researcher
What's the story
A United States federal judge has stayed the deportation of Georgetown University researcher, Badar Khan Suri, accused of "spreading Hamas propaganda" and having "close connections to a known or suspected terrorist."
District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles in Alexandria, Virginia, ordered that Suri "shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court issues a contrary order."
He was detained by immigration authorities earlier this week.
Charges
Allegations against Suri and his legal defense
Suri was determined to be deportable by the Secretary of State's office, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said late Wednesday.
However, his lawyer Hassan Ahmad argued that Suri was targeted because of his social media posts and his wife's "identity as a Palestinian and her constitutionally protected speech."
"Dr. Suri is an academic, not an activist," Ahmad said in court filings, adding that he only voiced his opinions on social media about the Israel-Gaza war.
Arrest
Suri's arrest and detention details
Suri was detained outside his Virginia residence and was allegedly being kept at a Louisiana immigration detention facility.
His lawyer gave a graphic picture of the arrest, alleging that masked agents "refused to tell him the basis for the arrest, handcuffed him, and forced him into an unmarked black SUV."
Ahmad claimed federal authorities had failed to produce any evidence of Suri committing crimes or a valid reason for his detention.
Academic career
Suri's background and academic focus
Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University.
His research centers on the role of religion in peace processes in the Middle East and South Asia.
His professor Nader Hashemi says Suri wasn't politically active on campus, although he felt strong solidarity with Palestinians.
He said that before his detention, Suri and his wife were targeted by right-wing student groups, in part because his father-in-law is Ahmed Yousef, a former Hamas adviser.
Family details
Suri's family and future plans
Suri is married to Mapheze Saleh, a US citizen who was born in Missouri but grew up in Gaza.
They got married in New Delhi, India, then moved to the US, where Suri arrived first in 2022, and Saleh and their three kids followed him the next year.
His legal team has filed a habeas motion against deportation proceedings started by the Trump administration on Suri's behalf.