Lawmakers Demand Records in Controversial Arrest of Georgetown Scholar Held by ICE
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) is leading a congressional delegation on the paper chase to find out the truth behind the apprehension and detainment of Georgetown postdoctoral fellow Dr. Badar Khan Suri.
WASHINGTON — A group of 22 Democratic lawmakers is demanding answers from the Trump administration over the arrest and detention of Georgetown University postdoctoral fellow Dr. Badar Khan Suri, who was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March under a rarely used immigration provision tied to foreign policy interests.
In a letter sent Monday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, the lawmakers — led by Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) — requested a broad set of documents and records related to Suri’s arrest, including justification for his detention, supporting evidence of alleged ties to terrorism, and any role played by outside groups in his apprehension.
“Dr. Khan Suri is a scholar on conflict resolution who has no criminal record, and the Administration has made no credible argument to support his arrest and detention,” the lawmakers wrote. “His arrest and detention appear to violate Dr. Khan Suri’s constitutional rights, including the First Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.”
ICE arrested Suri, a legally admitted J-1 visa holder and adjunct professor at Georgetown’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, on March 17 in Arlington, Va. He was held in maximum security custody at the Prairieland Detention Facility in Texas until a court ordered his release on May 14.
The arrest came two days after Secretary Rubio reportedly issued a finding that Suri’s presence in the United States posed “potentially serious foreign policy consequences.” The lawmakers are now demanding a full copy of that March 15 State Department memo and all attachments, including intelligence assessments and communications with congressional committees.
Suri, a father of three married to a U.S. citizen, was charged under Section 237(a)(4)(C)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the government to deport individuals deemed to compromise U.S. foreign policy interests. Legal experts say the statute is rarely invoked and historically controversial due to free speech concerns.
In their letter, lawmakers questioned the government’s basis for invoking the statute and noted the arrest came after Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin claimed on social media that Suri was spreading Hamas propaganda and had “close connections” to a senior advisor in the group. The members of Congress are demanding that DHS provide any evidence to support those allegations.
They also raised concerns that Suri may have been targeted in part based on unverified information from Canary Mission, a controversial group known for publishing personal information of pro-Palestinian advocates. Lawmakers asked whether evidence from Canary Mission, Betar, or the Middle East Forum was used in the decision to arrest or detain Suri.
The lawmakers also want DHS to explain why Suri was transferred from Virginia to Texas, far from his family and attorney — a move they argue violated ICE policy regarding detainees with minor children or pending court cases.
In addition to the memo from the State Department, the letter seeks:
Suri’s I-213 immigration record and custody determination paperwork;
Justification for his transfer across multiple facilities;
A list of communications from external groups about Suri;
Assurance that any classified material can be reviewed by Congress in a secure facility.
The lawmakers are requesting a response by July 11.
Suri had been teaching a course on “Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia” when he was detained. His supporters have described him as a peaceful academic who moved to the U.S. seeking religious freedom and a career in teaching.
Federal officials have not publicly released evidence linking Suri to criminal or terrorist activity. One ICE officer involved in his detention allegedly remarked that Suri had “not done anything wrong,” according to the lawmakers’ letter.
Congressional critics say the government’s handling of the case echoes past abuses of political exclusion laws and undermines civil liberties. “The Executive Branch does not have the authority to deny visas or detain people solely based on their beliefs,” the lawmakers wrote.