US federal immigration authorities have detained Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University, amid allegations related to national security concerns, according to a report by Politico.
Suri, who was studying and teaching on a student visa, was arrested outside his residence in Arlington, Virginia, by masked agents on Monday night. His lawyer has filed a lawsuit seeking his immediate release, arguing that the detention is politically motivated.
According to court documents, US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents informed Suri that his visa had been revoked. The US government has placed him in deportation proceedings under a provision that allows non-citizens to be expelled if their presence is deemed a threat to US foreign policy.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined Suri’s activities warranted deportation, citing his alleged ties to individuals associated with Hamas and his role in spreading anti-Semitic propaganda.
In a post on X, McLaughlin wrote, “Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media. Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.”
Suri’s lawyer has strongly denied these allegations, arguing that his client has no criminal record and is being unfairly targeted due to his wife’s Palestinian heritage and their past advocacy for Palestinian rights. The legal petition also claims that both Suri and his wife have been subjected to online smear campaigns.
Critics of the detention argue that President Donald Trump’s administration is using immigration laws to suppress political dissent, particularly against individuals who oppose US policies on Israel. Advocates claim these actions violate the First Amendment by punishing non-citizens for their political views.
Suri is currently being held in a Virginia facility and is expected to be transferred to a detention center in Texas. His case remains pending in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.
