Federal Judge Orders Release of Detained Georgetown Researcher in Texas

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, was detained by U.S. immigration authorities in March 2025 amid accusations of spreading Palestinian militant propaganda and antisemitism, and the Trump administration's effort to deport him citing alleged ties to Hamas. Suri's detention sparked concerns over violations of his First and Fifth Amendment rights and a chilling effect on free speech related to Palestine, as highlighted by his legal team and a federal judge. U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ordered his release on personal recognizance from a Texas detention center, emphasizing the public interest in disrupting the chilling effect on protected speech and requiring prior notice before any re-detention. Suri was arrested outside his Virginia home and transferred across multiple detention sites before the court ruling mandated his return to Virginia to be with his wife, Mapheze Saleh, a U.S. citizen with family ties to Gaza, and their children. The case is part of a broader Trump administration crackdown on foreign students, particularly those who have expressed pro-Palestinian views or participated in related protests, raising significant civil rights and immigration advocacy concerns. Georgetown University and civil rights groups have supported Suri, asserting the importance of free inquiry and contesting the government's unsubstantiated claims linking him to terrorism.