Georgetown Researcher Freed from Texas Detention After Court Ruling

Wed Oct 22 2025 06:41:45 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A Georgetown University academic, detained under controversial circumstances, sees his release as a victory for free speech.

Badar Khan Suri, a researcher and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, has been released from a Texas immigration detention center following a federal judge's ruling that found his detention violated his First Amendment rights and due process. Suri, arrested in March as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on activists, had faced accusations of connections to Hamas due to family ties. However, US District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles emphasized the absence of evidence substantiating these claims. The case has garnered significant attention amid rising concerns over immigration enforcement actions targeting academics and activists, particularly those voicing support for Palestinian rights.

Badar Khan Suri’s release highlights ongoing tensions in academia as U.S. immigration policies face scrutiny.

Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri has been released from a Texas detention center after being arrested in a crackdown on college activists. Suri, who has been in detention since March, was accused of spreading Hamas propaganda due to his Palestinian rights activism and family connections. However, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ruled in favor of Suri, stating that the government's allegations lacked solid evidence and violated his free speech and due process rights. Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, expressed relief at the ruling, highlighting the emotional toll their separation took on their family. Despite the ruling, U.S. authorities aim to deport Suri, continuing a trend of investigations against academics advocating for Palestine.

ACLU spokespersons emphasized the importance of Suri's case, drawing attention to the broader implications for academic freedom and immigration laws in the current political landscape.