WASHINGTON, March 28 — The Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement against individuals linked to pro-Palestinian activism, accusing some of supporting Hamas.
Among those detained or deported are students, academics, and legal residents, many of whom have denied any links to terrorism.
The below is a list of those detained, according to The Associated Press.
Rumeysa Ozturk
A 30-year-old Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, Ozturk was detained by federal officers in Boston while walking in a suburban area. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleged, without providing evidence, that she had engaged in activities supporting Hamas. Ozturk’s colleagues state that her only activism involved co-authoring a student newspaper op-ed urging Tufts to cut ties with Israel. She is currently held in an ICE detention centre in Louisiana, with a US District judge demanding the government justify her detention by Friday.
Mahmoud Khalil
A legal US resident and Palestinian activist, Khalil was arrested earlier this month. The administration revoked his green card, claiming his participation in Columbia University protests constituted antisemitic support for Hamas. Khalil, who was born in Syria and is married to a US citizen, played a key role in negotiating with Columbia officials during last year’s student protests. He is currently fighting deportation.
Yunseo Chung
A Columbia University student and lawful US resident, Chung has lived in the US since childhood after immigrating from South Korea. She was arrested at a sit-in at Barnard College protesting the expulsion of pro-Palestinian student activists. DHS is seeking to deport her, citing her misdemeanor arrest as “concerning conduct.” However, a judge has barred immigration agents from detaining her while she challenges the case in court.
Badar Khan Suri
A visiting scholar at Georgetown University from India, Suri was arrested outside his home in Virginia. DHS accused him of spreading Hamas propaganda, though his lawyers argue he was targeted for his social media activity and his wife’s Palestinian heritage. Suri, who holds a valid visa, is now detained at an ICE facility in Louisiana, with his legal team seeking immediate release and to halt deportation proceedings.
Leqaa Kordia
A resident of Newark, New Jersey, Kordia was detained for allegedly overstaying her student visa. Federal authorities described her as a Palestinian from the West Bank and linked her to Columbia University protests. However, Columbia has no record of her as a student. She is currently held at an immigration detention centre in Alvarado, Texas.
Ranjani Srinivasan
An Indian citizen and doctoral student at Columbia University, Srinivasan fled the US after immigration agents attempted to detain her at her university residence. The administration revoked her visa, accusing her of advocating violence and terrorism, though officials have not provided evidence. Srinivasan has denied any involvement in organizing Columbia protests and maintains she has never promoted violence.
Alireza Doroudi
A doctoral student from Iran studying mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama, Doroudi was detained by ICE on Tuesday. While neither the university nor authorities have disclosed the reasons for his arrest, his lawyer confirmed he is currently in Alabama and expects to be moved to an ICE detention centre in Louisiana. Doroudi has denied any suspected criminal activity or immigration violations.
Dr Rasha Alawieh
A kidney transplant specialist from Lebanon, Alawieh had been living and working in Rhode Island before being deported earlier this month. A federal judge had ordered a delay in her removal, but DHS deported her upon her return from Lebanon. Officials cited her past support for former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, though Alawieh stated her interest in him was solely for religious and spiritual reasons, not political affiliation. She had been set to start a position as an assistant professor of medicine at Brown University. Her lawyer has vowed to fight for her return to the US