What’s Behind the Controversial Detention of Indian Academic Badar Khan Suri?

The detention of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian academic in the US, has sparked controversy as a federal judge demands explanations from the government regarding his transfer between detention facilities. Allegations of ties to Hamas complicate his case, raising concerns about the fairness of the judicial process. Supporters rally for his release, highlighting the broader implications of immigration policies. This situation reflects ongoing tensions surrounding academic freedom and national security in the US.
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What’s Behind the Controversial Detention of Indian Academic Badar Khan Suri?

Federal Judge Questions Detention of Indian Scholar


In New York, a federal judge has demanded that the US government provide an explanation regarding the detention of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian academic whose deportation has been temporarily halted.


Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles instructed government attorneys to clarify why Suri was transferred from his detention center in Virginia to facilities in Louisiana and Texas following his arrest in March.


Immigration officials are seeking to deport him, alleging connections to Hamas, which the US designates as a terrorist organization.


Suri is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.


During the hearing, Giles, who previously stayed his deportation, listened to Suri's legal team appeal for his return to Virginia and to prevent his removal.


The government is pushing to have the deportation case moved to a Texas court, where Suri is currently detained.


His attorneys express concern that the Texas courts may be more conservative and potentially more favorable to the government's position.


Giles questioned the rationale behind the claim of overcrowding in the Virginia facility, noting that Suri was moved to a Texas location where he was given a cot in a common area, contrasting with his private room in Virginia.


She inquired, 'Is it standard procedure to move detainees in the middle of the night?'


Suri holds a PhD from Jamia Millia University in New Delhi and was teaching a course titled 'Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia' at Georgetown.


He is married to Mapheze Saleh, a US citizen, whose father, Ahmed Yousef, served as an advisor to the Hamas-led administration in Gaza, which has raised suspicions regarding Suri's affiliations.


Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, accused Suri of spreading 'Hamas propaganda and fostering anti-Semitism on social media.'


Support for Suri has surged, including endorsements from several Jewish leaders who penned a letter advocating for him.


During the court proceedings in Alexandria, supporters rallied outside, calling for his release.


Democratic Representative Don Beyer, addressing the demonstrators, remarked, 'It is Kafkaesque when someone can be taken without reason, acknowledgment, or charges.'


While the Trump administration announced a pause on deportations for students facing minor offenses, this does not seem to extend to individuals like Suri, who are already in the deportation process.


In a related case, a judge in Vermont ordered the release of a Palestinian student with a green card who led an anti-Israel protest at Columbia University, pending a final decision on his situation.


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