A Georgetown University doctoral student from India has been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following allegations of spreading propaganda in support of the Hamas terrorist group. The student, identified as Badar Khan Suri, was accused of using social media platforms to promote antisemitic content and was reportedly linked to a senior advisor associated with Hamas, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials.
Suri’s activities led to a determination by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that his presence in the United States posed significant foreign policy threats. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a lesser-known legal provision allows for the deportation of individuals deemed harmful to U.S. interests. This same statute was referenced in the recent arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a former student and pro-Hamas activist at Columbia University, who remains in detention but is contesting the decision in court.
The Georgetown University graduate student is in the United States on a visa to conduct research. According to the school, Suri’s academic studies focused on peacebuilding in conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. A representative for the elite, Washington, D.C.-based university, stated that the school was unaware of Suri having participated in any illicit activities, nor has the institution been formally informed of the specific actions prompting his detention.
As confirmed by his legal counsel, Suri is currently being held in Alexandria, Louisiana, pending immigration court proceedings.
