Arlington, Virginia - Georgetown University postdoctoral researcher Dr. Badar Khan Suri has issued a new statement following his emotional release from ICE detention in Texas, where he was held for weeks as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on support for Palestinian human rights.

Describing his release, Khan Suri said, "The moment I stepped out of the detention center, I inhaled deeply, a breath of freedom I had been deprived of for two long months. That simple act, something so ordinary, felt extraordinary."

"As I looked around, my eyes met the faces of those who had stood by me, their voices rising in chants of my name. Their presence was powerful, their support unwavering. In that overwhelming moment, my heart swelled with emotion. I wanted to cry not out of pain, but out of pure, uncontainable joy. It was a feeling of release, of being embraced by hope and solidarity after weeks of isolation," the peace and conflict studies scholar continued.

A federal judge last week ordered Khan Suri's release on bail from the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, allowing him to reunite with his family – including his three young children – after weeks of separation.

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"After months of sorrow, loss, and pain, when I saw my kids, it was like an oasis in the desert, and in their arms I found my life again. It was a surreal experience. I forgot every suffering after hugging them," Khan Suri, an Indian national, recalled.

"I was able to attain my freedom thanks to the dedicated efforts of my attorneys and my steadfast faith in the Constitution and the judiciary. I hope very soon Mahmoud [Khalil] will be holding his son, and all other students still in detention will reunite with their loved ones."

Khan Suri was abducted by federal agents on March 17 as he was returning to his Virginia home from a fast-breaking meal during Ramadan. Officials later told him his visa had been revoked at the behest of Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office.

The Trump administration has invoked the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the secretary of state to deport noncitizens if their presence is deemed a threat to US foreign policy, in arresting Khan Suri and other university students supportive of Palestinian human rights.

The arrest came after Khan Suri and his Palestinian-American wife, Mapheze Saleh, were doxxed by the pro-Israel websites Canary Mission and CAMERA.

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Saleh, who has steadfastly defended her husband since his arrest, celebrated his return especially for the sake of their children.

"I'm overwhelmed with gratitude to see the smiles back on my children’s faces. They missed their father more than words can express. Now that he’s finally back with them, their joy has returned," the mother and graduate student said.

"And yet, our joy is not complete. We cannot truly celebrate while Mahmoud Khalil remains behind bars, unable to hold his newborn baby or stand beside his wife, who is no doubt carrying an unbearable burden in his absence," Saleh continued. "No parent should be separated from their children this way. No family should suffer under the weight of fear-driven policies."

"We will not stop speaking out. We will not rest until Mahmoud and every innocent soul behind those walls is free."

The case challenging the legality of Khan Suri's arrest is ongoing in Virginia alongside separate immigration proceedings in Texas, with the next hearing scheduled for June 3.