Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian scholar at the Columbia University pursuing PHD, self deported amidst a pro-Palestine controversy. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Srinivasan’s visa was canceled on March 5, 2025, for “advocating violence and terrorism”.
US Authorities Cite Links to Hamas
In an official statement, DHS accused Srinivasan of supporting Hamas, which the US government designates as a terrorist organization.
“Ranjani Srinivasan was involved in activities supporting Hamas, a terrorist organisation. On March 5, 2025, the Department of State revoked her visa. The Department of Homeland Security has obtained video footage of her using the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency app to self-deport on March 11,” the statement read.
Self-deportation allows individuals to leave voluntarily before being forcibly removed. This process helps avoid harsher immigration consequences, such as deportation via US military aircraft, which has been used for recent deportees sent back to India.
US Homeland Security Secretary: “A Visa is a Privilege”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared a video of Srinivasan at the airport, emphasizing that the U.S. would not tolerate those supporting terrorism.
“It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live and study in the United States of America. When you advocate for violence and terrorism, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country. I am glad to see one of the Columbia University terrorist sympathizers use the CBP Home app to self-deport,” she stated in a post on X.
Ranjani Srinivasan’s Academic Background
Srinivasan was pursuing a PhD in urban planning at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. According to Columbia’s website, she had previously earned a Bachelor’s degree from CEPT University in Ahmedabad and a Master’s degree from Harvard University with Fulbright Nehru and Inlaks Scholarships.
Her professional experience includes working for an environmental advocacy nonprofit in Washington, focusing on climate change impacts on frontier communities. Additionally, she contributed to research for the West Philadelphia Landscape Project (WPLP) at MIT.
Pro-Palestine Protests at Columbia University
Columbia University has been at the center of student-led pro-Palestine protests amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Last week, Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia student of Palestinian descent, was arrested by U.S. authorities for his involvement in protests. His green card has been revoked, but a federal judge has temporarily halted his deportation.
Another Columbia student, Leqaa Kordia, was arrested by immigration officials for overstaying her student visa. She had previously been detained last year for participating in pro-Palestine demonstrations in New York.
US Government Investigates Columbia University
The U.S. Justice Department and DHS are investigating whether Columbia University has been “harboring and concealing illegal aliens on its campus.” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the ongoing probe.
As scrutiny over student activism intensifies, U.S. authorities are tightening immigration regulations, particularly for international students engaging in political protests.
