Key facts
- The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to overturn a decision to release Georgetown University scholar Badar Khan Suri.
- Suri was detained for two months last year due to his criticism of Israel.
- The Department of Justice argues federal judges should not have the power to intervene in immigration court cases.
- The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals previously rejected the administration's attempt to detain Suri again.
- Suri is a legal US resident with Indian citizenship and is married to a US citizen.
- Suri's visa was revoked on the orders of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for 'spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media'.
The Trump administration is seeking to have Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University scholar, detained again, asking the US Supreme Court to overturn a previous decision that ordered his release. Suri, a legal US resident with Indian citizenship married to a US citizen, was held for two months in 2025 after his visa was revoked. The administration cited his criticism of Israel and alleged "spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media" as reasons for the revocation and detention.
The Department of Justice argues that federal judges should not have the authority to intervene in immigration court cases, a stance that could establish a significant precedent. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals had previously rejected the administration's attempt to detain Suri further, upholding a lower court's ruling that allowed his release on bail while his case proceeded.
Suri's legal team, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), maintains that his detention violated his First Amendment rights and that he was targeted by pro-Israel actors due to his wife's Palestinian heritage and her family's ties to Hamas. A federal judge had ordered his release on May 14, 2025, and his immigration case continues separately from his federal habeas case. Suri has stated he has dedicated his life to peace through dialogue and mutual understanding.