Indian Student at Georgetown University Detained in US Over Alleged Hamas Links

The Trump administration has detained Badar Khan Suri, an Indian student at Georgetown University, for alleged ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas and for spreading its propaganda on social media, Fox News reported on Thursday. The report cites a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement.

According to Suri’s lawyer, the administration is seeking to deport him, claiming he poses a threat to US foreign policy. Suri is currently held in Alexandria, Louisiana, awaiting an immigration court hearing. He was arrested by federal agents outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night.

A White House statement, reposted by Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not provide specific evidence for the accusations but stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Suri’s activities made him “deportable.” The student is also accused of promoting antisemitic content on social media.

A spokesperson for Georgetown University stated that the institution had not received any formal explanation for Suri’s detention and was unaware of any illegal activity on his part.

Who is Badar Khan Suri?

Suri, an Indian national living in the US on a student visa, is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which operates under the university’s School of Foreign Service.

He is married to Mapheze Saleh, a US citizen from Gaza, who has written for Al Jazeera and various Palestinian media outlets. She has also worked with the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Suri holds a PhD in peace and conflict studies from an Indian university and is currently teaching a course titled “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia.”

Trump’s Crackdown on ‘Antisemitism’

The Trump administration has been actively targeting pro-Palestinian activism, labeling protests as “antisemitic” and claiming that criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the West Bank contributes to antisemitism.

In response, the White House has launched investigations into universities, accusing them of failing to protect Jewish students from harassment by anti-war demonstrators. Institutions under scrutiny include:

• Columbia University
• University of California, Berkeley
• University of Minnesota
• Northwestern University
• Portland State University

Earlier this month, the Trump administration also arrested Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, attempting to deport him for participating in pro-Palestinian protests. Khalil is now challenging his detention in court.

The administration has accused him of supporting Hamas, though no concrete evidence has been presented. His lawyers insist he has no affiliation with the group, which the US designates as a foreign terrorist organization.