Georgetown Professor Freed After Judge Rules Detention Unlawful

A federal judge in Northern Virginia has ordered the release of Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University professor, who was arrested by immigration authorities in March 2025. Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ruled that Suri's detention was unlawful, violating his First and Fifth Amendment rights. Suri was held for over 60 days without being charged with a crime. "They made a sub-human out of me," Suri said after his release from the Prairieland Detention Center in Texas. Suri's attorneys filed a habeas corpus petition, arguing that the government's actions were illegal. The judge agreed, stating that the government had not provided any evidence to support its claims against Suri. This ruling underscores concerns about the potential chilling effect on free speech when immigration law is used to target political dissent. Georgetown University has welcomed Suri back to campus, but his lack of a student visa complicates his future employment.

NBC4 Washington

Georgetown scholar released from ICE detention

A federal judge ordered the release of Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University professor and postdoctoral scholar who was arrested by immigration au…