A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national studying at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The ruling, issued by Judge Patricia Giles in Alexandria, Virginia, prevents the Trump administration from expelling Suri until further court proceedings.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused Suri of having connections to Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, and of promoting its propaganda and antisemitic views online. According to DHS, Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined on March 15 that Suri's alleged activities made him eligible for deportation.

Suri, who is in the U.S. on a student visa, is married to an American citizen and is currently being held in Alexandria, Louisiana. His attorney stated that he was arrested outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, earlier this week. The lawyer welcomed the judge’s decision, calling it the first instance of due process Suri has received since his sudden detention.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has also intervened in Suri's case, alleging that he was transferred between multiple immigration facilities before being detained in Louisiana. DHS has not yet commented on the court’s order.

This case is unfolding amid the Trump administration’s broader efforts to deport individuals involved in pro-Palestinian protests criticizing U.S. support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups argue that the administration is misusing legal provisions to target political dissenters.

Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, part of the School of Foreign Service. His wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen of Palestinian origin from Gaza. Georgetown University’s website states that Saleh has contributed to Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and has worked with Gaza’s foreign ministry. However, she has not been detained.

Suri’s lawyer contends that he is being unfairly targeted because of his wife's Palestinian heritage and his own outspoken pro-Palestinian stance.

Media reports, including from The Washington Post, have highlighted that Saleh’s father, Ahmed Yousef, previously served as a political adviser to Hamas. Yousef has also contributed to publications such as The Guardian.

The case mirrors a similar recent incident where the Trump administration arrested and attempted to deport Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil for his role in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Khalil, who is now challenging his detention in court, was also transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana. Trump has claimed, without presenting evidence, that Khalil supports Hamas. His legal team has denied any links to the organization.

Trump has repeatedly accused pro-Palestinian protesters of antisemitism, while advocates—including some Jewish groups—argue that their criticism of Israeli policies and support for Palestinian rights are wrongly equated with antisemitic views.