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Georgetown University Student Detained by ICE for Alleged Hamas Propaganda
A Georgetown University doctoral student was arrested Monday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on allegations of spreading Hamas propaganda online. Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national studying in the U.S. on a student visa, is accused of disseminating Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official. DHS asserts Suri has ties to a senior Hamas advisor, though the individual was not identified.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Suri deportable under the Immigration and Nationality Act on March 15th, citing Suri’s activities and presence as having “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.” This statute has also been cited by Rubio in the recent detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist.
A Georgetown University spokesperson confirmed Suri’s enrollment as a doctoral student researching peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan, stating the university was unaware of any illegal activity and had not been given a reason for his detainment. Suri, who is married to an American citizen, was detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, and is awaiting his immigration court date, according to his lawyer.