A federal judge has ordered the immediate release of Badar Khan Suri, an Indian academic and postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, after he was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for nearly two months over his pro-Palestinian views.

US District Judge Patricia Giles ruled on Wednesday that Khan Suri’s release would be “in the public interest to disrupt the chilling effect on protected speech,” adding that no bond or conditions were required for his release. The courtroom decision was met with loud cheers from a large group of demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse.

Khan Suri was detained by ICE on March 17, after his J-1 student visa was revoked. The Trump administration alleged his social media posts supporting Palestine posed a threat and also cited his father-in-law’s past association with Hamas a claim that has been disputed. The father-in-law, Ahmed Yousef, served as an adviser to Hamas over a decade ago and has clarified that Khan Suri was not involved in any political activities on behalf of the organization.

“Potentially serious foreign policy consequences”

In a statement filed by a Virginia immigration office, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier claimed that Khan Suri’s continued presence in the US could lead to “potentially serious foreign policy consequences.”

Khan Suri, who is married to a Palestinian American citizen, Mapheze Saleh, is affiliated with Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU). His detention drew sharp criticism from civil rights groups and academic communities. Dozens of students and alumni from Georgetown University signed a public letter demanding his release.

In March, Judge Giles had already barred federal authorities from deporting Khan Suri after his wife filed an emergency court request.

This case has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over academic freedom, freedom of speech, and the targeting of pro-Palestinian voices in the United States under the current administration.

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