WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has welcomed a pivotal court order mandating the release of Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University, from federal immigration custody. This development is being hailed as a vital victory for freedom of expression in the United States.
“This decision represents a crucial stand by the judiciary against the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to silence dissenting voices, particularly those condemning U.S. support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza,” stated CAIR’s National Executive Director, Nihad Awad, who was present at the court hearing.
Awad further emphasized, “Every one of these students must be freed. The Trump administration has a duty to uphold the First Amendment and protect the right to free speech.”
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The ruling, issued by Judge Patricia Giles of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, orders Khan Suri’s immediate release without requiring bond. This marks another setback for the administration’s controversial efforts to deport students and academics over their pro-Palestinian views.
Khan Suri had been detained since March in a Texas immigration facility after being apprehended near his home in Arlington, Virginia, where he lives with his wife. His arrest and continued detention sparked widespread criticism from human rights advocates and academic institutions.
Judge Giles’ decision follows two similar court rulings that resulted in the release of other international students facing deportation. These include Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University, and Mohsen Mahdawi, a graduate student from Columbia University, both of whom were targeted over their vocal criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
With mounting legal defeats, pressure is intensifying on the Trump administration to halt what many see as politically motivated deportations aimed at suppressing free expression on university campuses.