MEA On US Action Against Indian Students Accused Of Ties With Hamas: ‘Visa And Immigration Policy Lies Within…’
Indian student Badar Khan Suri faces U.S. deportation over alleged Hamas ties. A judge halted his removal as India’s MEA responds. His family remains confused. Read more on the unfolding case.
A U.S. federal judge has ordered the Trump administration not to deport Badar Khan Suri, an Indian student studying at Georgetown University, over alleged ties to Hamas. The ruling was issued by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles, who stated that Khan must not be removed from the country unless she issues another ruling to the contrary, according to a CNN report.
Khan’s lawyer, Hassan Ahmed, asserted that the United States was seeking to deport his client on the grounds of harming U.S. foreign policy. “We welcome Judge Giles’ ruling,” Ahmad said in a statement to CNN. “It is the first due process Dr. Khan Suri has received since he was snatched away from his family on Monday night.” Khan has been detained at a facility in Louisiana since Tuesday, and his legal team is actively working to secure his release.
India’s Response To The Situation
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) weighed in on the matter, with Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stating, "We are given to understand through media reports that this individual has been detained. Neither the U.S. Govt nor the individual has approached us or the Embassy...so this is what we understand.
The other student you talked about, see we have spoken on this issue on several occasions in the past, that when it comes to visa and immigration, it is something that lies within the sovereign functions of the country. We on our side, we expect that if we have foreign nationals coming to India, they abide by our laws and regulations. And similarly, it is our expectation that the Indian nationals abroad must also comply with the local laws and regulations."
On India-Canada Relations And Ranjani Srinivasan
On India-Canada relations, MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "The downturn in India-Canada relations was caused by the license that was given to the extremist and secessionist elements in the country. Our hope is that we can rebuild our ties based on mutual trust and sensitivity."
On Ranjani Srinivasan, he says "We are not aware of her getting in touch with our consulate or our embassy for any help. We only came to know of her departure from the United States through media reports, and through the media reports, we understand that she has gone to Canada..."
“We Are Currently Confused,” Says Family
Khan’s family has expressed confusion over the circumstances surrounding his detention. His sister, Khushnuma Khan, told CNN, “We know only as much as anyone else, which is what is reported in the media. We are currently confused about how and why this is happening to him.” She added that their parents, who live in Uttar Pradesh, have not been informed by officials about Khan’s detention.
Khushnuma speculated that Khan’s wife, Mapheze Saleh, a Palestinian and a former Al Jazeera employee, may be a factor in the case. “His wife is from Gaza, so maybe that is why this is happening,” she said.
The Allegations of Hamas Links
The DHS has justified Khan’s detention by citing alleged connections to Hamas. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated in a post on X that Khan was "actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media. Khan Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas." In a petition filed earlier this week, Khan claimed his detention was part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to revoke visas of individuals based on their engagement in Palestine-related speech.
Ahmed has strongly denied any illegal activity on Khan’s part. “We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity and we have not received a reason for his detention,” he said. A Georgetown University spokesperson added, “We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly.”
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