Georgetown scholar from India recalls terror and ‘mockery of due process' in immigration jail
ARLINGTON, Va. : One of the lowest moments of Badar Khan Suri's two months in federal custody was being crammed onto an airplane with hundreds of other shackled prisoners.
The Trump administration was trying to deport the Georgetown University scholar over statements he made against Israel's war in Gaza. The guards wouldn't say where they were headed, but the Indian national was convinced it was out of the United States.
Then Khan Suri had to use the plane's bathroom. He said the guards refused to unshackle his wrists.
'They said, 'No, you have to use it like this or do it in your trousers,'' Khan Suri recalled of the trip, taking him to a Louisiana detention center. 'They were behaving as if we were animals.'
Khan Suri, 41, was released on bond last week as his lawsuit against the US's deportation case continues. In an interview with The Associated Press, he spoke Thursday of a cramped cell, crowded with other detainees, where he waited anxiously, fearful about what would happen next.
He also addressed the Trump administration's accusations that he spread 'Hamas propaganda.' Khan Suri said he only spoke in support of Palestinians, who are going through an 'unprecedented, livestreamed genocide.'
'I don't support Hamas,' he said. 'I support Palestine. I support Palestinians. And it is so deceiving for some people who just publish canards ... They will just replace Palestine with Hamas.'
Yet, because of his comments, he said US authorities treated him as if he had committed a high-level crime. Fellow inmates said his red uniform was reserved for the most dangerous offenders.
'I said, 'No, I'm just a university teacher. I did nothing,' Khan Suri recalled.
Still, there were rays of hope. He said more than a hundred people from the Georgetown community wrote letters on his behalf to the federal judge overseeing his case, including some who are Jewish.
A crowd also greeted him when he arrived back in the Washington, D.C., area.
'Hindus, Jews, Christians, Muslims — everyone together,' said Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow who studies religion, peace and violence. 'That is the reality I want to live with. That's the reality I want to die for. Those people together.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
New normal amid a new cold war
The effect of Donald Trump's return to the White House is being felt in capitals all over the world. At the recently-concluded Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the spectre of a new cold war rose once again to dominate discussions. In his ASEAN chairman's statement, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim categorically asserted the return of a cold war to systemic interstate relations. The reference does not augur well for the ASEAN, which has been trying to build resilience within while maintaining a degree of balance between the US and China. The second important aspect of this year's dialogue has been the tough stand India has placed on its recent military stand-off with Pakistan following the devastating terror attack at Pahalgam. The subsequent Indian political and military action against Pakistan has highlighted what the political leadership is calling the 'new normal', signalling that tolerance has its limits. Both these indicated a changed environment at the Shangri-La Dialogue, especially as they implied certain defining shifts. First, the very definition of the term 'cold war' and how this period will be different from the earlier cold war. Second, the Trump administration's impact on the wider Indo-Pacific and what it expects from the region vis-á-vis the US-China rivalry. Third, the choices for ASEAN states, particularly in light of the extending US-China rivalry. And finally, how this affects the role India plays within multilateral forums and how India's definition of the new normal affects the region. First, the reference to a new cold war is not new. Even during the first Trump term, a National Security Strategy paper released by the administration in November 2017 clearly reiterated that the foremost threats to American interests and leadership in the global order were from China and Russia, articulating the tensions at systemic levels.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Elon Musk's Trump clash backfires; Tesla CEO's net worth takes massive hit, federal contracts under risk
Elon Musk's clash with President Donald Trump appears to have backfired on him. The 53-year-old, who accused the president of being ungrateful, lost $15 billion on Thursday, and his company Tesla's shares tumbled as much as 9% during trading hours. According to Forbes' real-time billionaires list, Musk is worth $399.5 billion, down 3.63%. Tesla slumped 8.9% amid Musk's criticism of Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'. This comes after the president lashed out at his former ally on Thursday, saying he was 'disappointed' by the billionaire's opposition to the sweeping tax-cut and spending bill that is at the heart of his administration's agenda. 'Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore. He said the most beautiful things about me, and he hasn't said bad about me personally, but I'm sure that'll be next. But I'm, I'm very disappointed in Elon. I've helped Elon a lot,' he said. Meanwhile, Musk unleashed a series of responses on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. Read More: 'Such ingratitude': Elon Musk claims Trump would've lost election without him "Without me, Trump would have lost the election," he wrote. 'Such ingratitude.' The Tesla CEO also used the president's own words against him. He retweeted the 78-year-old's part criticisms about raising the debt ceiling. In a 2013 tweet, Trump wrote, " I cannot believe the Republicans are extending the debt ceiling—I am a Republican & I am embarrassed!" "Wise words," Musk commented on the post. Read More: 'Disgusting': Why Elon Musk attacked Donald Trump's 'Big Beautiful' bill In his latest attack on Musk, Trump said that he is terminating the tech billionaire's subsidies and contracts. 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!' the president wrote on Truth Social. 'Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!' he added.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Trump ally Laura Loomer says Republican law makers wondering if they should side with President Trump or Elon Musk; Tesla CEO responds: Trump has 3.5 years left as President, but I ...
The escalating feud between President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk has reached a critical juncture, with Republican lawmakers now questioning their loyalties as the two most powerful figures in conservative politics engage in an unprecedented public battle over Trump's signature domestic policy bill. Trump ally Laura Loomer reported Thursday that GOP legislators are actively debating whether to support the president or the Tesla CEO. "I know lawmakers who are asking if they should side with President Trump or Elon," Loomer posted on social media. "I've been on the hill all day and it's all anyone is talking about. The most powerful man in the world vs the richest man in the world." Musk's response was characteristically provocative, telling Loomer: "One thing's for sure, it ain't boring!" He then delivered what appears to be a veiled threat to Republican politicians weighing their options: "Oh and some food for thought as they ponder this question: Trump has 3.5 years left as President, but I will be around for 40+ years." Musk claims credit for Trump's Presidential election victory The public rupture intensified Thursday when Musk explicitly took credit for Trump's 2024 election victory after the president expressed disappointment in his former adviser. "Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate," Musk wrote on X. "Such ingratitude." Trump had earlier told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that he was "very disappointed in Elon" and that he had "helped Elon a lot." The president accused Musk of opposing the legislation only after Republicans removed electric vehicle subsidies that would benefit Tesla. "He had no problem with it. All of a sudden, he had a problem. And he only developed the problem when he found out that we're going to have to cut the EV mandate because that's billions and billions of dollars," Trump said. Battle over 'Big Beautiful Bill' escalates The conflict centers on Trump's massive domestic policy bill, which Musk has repeatedly attacked as a "disgusting abomination" that will increase the federal deficit. Musk has urged Americans to "KILL THE BILL," arguing it doesn't cut government spending deeply enough despite projections it will remove health coverage from millions. Trump disputed Musk's claim that he wasn't consulted on the legislation, stating: "Elon knew the inner workings of this bill, better than almost anybody sitting here." Musk fired back on X: "False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!" The president also mocked Musk's appearance, referencing the billionaire's recent black eye and suggesting he might be developing "Trump Derangement Syndrome." Trump compared Musk to other former advisers who "become hostile" after leaving his administration, noting that "some of them actually become hostile" when "the glamour's gone." AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
