1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to please follow in your colleagues’ footsteps and meet with your constituents who have been detained by ICE for deportation without due process such as Georgetown University Professor Badar Khan Suri. The Trump administration brings up that Khan Suri has been critical of the policies of the Israeli government, has shown sympathy towards Palestinian suffering in Gaza, and is alleged to have connections with members of Hamas. The first two things I mentioned are not justifiable enough for deportation. Fortunately for us, having a critical opinion of a government and showing sympathy for the oppressed and occupied is not yet a crime in our country. The third reason, while surprising at first glance, is not fully true. It is true that Khan Suri’s father-in-law was a former advisor to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. However, as stated in reputable news sources like NPR, Khan Suri’s father-in-law has not been a part of Hamas since 2010, 15 years ago. As far as we are currently aware, there is no proof that Khan Suri has any connection whatsoever to current Hamas members. There is no proof that Khan Suri is a violent threat to our country’s security. If anything, there has been nothing but praise for him by his students, colleagues, family, and friends. Badar Khan Suri is currently being held in a detention facility in Alvarado, Texas. I hope that you can make the time to meet him and hear his truth.