Georgetown researcher targeted for deportation settles with Trump admin
Despite his release, immigration court proceedings that could lead to Suri's deportation continued. In addition, Suri's civil litigation continued in the Virginia court as he sought the reinstatement of his legal status in a Department of Homeland Security database that tracks immigrant students and researchers permitted into the country. The deal revealed Tuesday will likely obviate the need for a hearing that was set for Friday in federal court in Alexandria over his bid for reinstatement.
ICE had terminated Suri's record in the system in March, which made it difficult for him to continue his academic work. The termination also extended to his two young children, whose student status in the U.S. was linked to their father's.
Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen. But her father's former role advising Hamas leadership figured into the Trump administration's decision to target Suri.
Under the settlement, the Trump administration has agreed to maintain Suri's student status unless officials become aware of a 'newly discovered, independent legal ground' to take action against him — and give him 21 days notice before acting on it. It also made the reinstatement of his status retroactive to March 18.
Suri and the other academics' arrests were the centerpiece of a recent trial in Massachusetts, where U.S. District Judge William Young is weighing whether the administration engaged in an unconstitutional policy of targeting immigrants based on their protected free speech.
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