Under President Trump, these efforts intensified, as seen in the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and a permanent resident, who faced detention and potential deportation last week.
This trend reached Hashemi’s own academic circle when Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which Hashemi directs, was detained by immigration authorities.
Alarmed by these actions, Hashemi expressed concern over the growing threat of authoritarian suppression of free speech on American campuses under the Trump administration.
Civil rights groups have challenged Khalil’s attempted deportation, seeing it as emblematic of the anti-Palestinian prejudice within the US government, where support for Palestinians and criticism of Israeli actions are often conflated with anti-Semitism and support for Hamas.
The targeting of Suri, based on his personal views rather than any public actions, is viewed as a significant escalation by Hashemi and his colleagues, signaling a worrying trend of political profiling.
Khaled Elgindy, a visiting scholar at Georgetown specializing in Palestinian-Israeli affairs, argues that the Trump administration’s actions are extending beyond students and residents sanctioned for their activism, into a realm where mere holding of certain views is targeted.
Concerns Over Foreign Policy Repercussions
In response, the US Department of Homeland Security confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s approval of Suri’s deportation, citing a 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act provision concerning non-citizens whose presence in the US might have “adverse foreign policy consequences” as the justification.
Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused Suri of spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting anti-Semitism on social media, besides alleging connections to a suspected terrorist adviser to Hamas.
Ahmad Yousef, a former adviser to a Hamas leader, distanced his son-in-law Suri from the group and any political activism, indicating that Suri’s research focused on minority rights and authoritarianism, not on supporting Hamas.
Suri’s legal team, which includes the ACLU, has filed a petition for his release, arguing that his detention violates due process and freedom of speech.
Georgetown University and the Alwaleed Center have voiced their support for Suri, denouncing the situation as an attack on academic freedom and open discourse.
Threat to Academic Freedom
Both Suri and his wife Mapheze Saleh had previously been targeted by “Campus Watch”, a project that critics accuse of attempting to silence campus critics of Israel. Hashemi describes Suri as a respected academic, emphasizing that Suri was solely engaged in research.
Elgindy criticizes the administration’s conflation of Palestinian solidarity and criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism and support for terrorism, arguing such actions stifle academic debate.
A Clear Attack on Free Speech
Congressman Don Beyer, representing northern Virginia, denounced Suri’s detention as a violation of due process and a blatant attack on the First Amendment, foreshadowing the defense likely to be presented in federal court.
The Trump administration claims that constitutional rights do not apply to temporary visa holders or permanent residents, a stance that contradicts court rulings that uphold immigrants’ rights to free speech and other basic liberties.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Suri’s deportation. His lawyers await a hearing in immigration court.
Both Hashemi and Elgindy stress the importance of the academic community’s response to these actions, highlighting the broader implications and the fear of reprisal that educators and administrators might face given Trump’s threats to cut funding for institutions that do not sufficiently curb protest activities.
Hashemi expresses concern that unless individuals stand up against these actions, the situation could worsen.
