An Indian student who participated in pro-Palestinian protests in the United States has “self-deported” after her student visa was revoked, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday that Ranjani Srinivasan was involved in activities deemed “terrorist organization-related” and left the U.S. on March 11 following the revocation of her student visa by the State Department.
Srinivasan, an Indian citizen, was a doctoral student in urban planning at Columbia University, known as a prominent hub for pro-Palestinian activism, particularly in opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza. The university reported that a violent takeover of a campus building had occurred, prompting law enforcement intervention to restore order.
Noem stated that while it was a privilege to study in the U.S., advocating for violence and terrorism negated that privilege, warranting removal from the country. Homeland Security further disclosed that they had obtained a video of Srinivasan using a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) app to initiate her self-deportation process. Noem expressed satisfaction at the outcome, referencing Columbia University’s alleged ties to individuals supporting terrorism.
It remains unclear whether Srinivasan had been directly involved in violent activities or had simply expressed sympathy for Hamas. Many protesters were reportedly demonstrating against Israel’s actions in Gaza rather than in support of Hamas.
Self-deportation, a process in which an individual departs voluntarily before authorities take action, can help individuals avoid being detained, deported, or banned from re-entering the country. Those forcibly deported may face restrictions on future travel or re-entry into the United States.
Srinivasan was conducting research at Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. She earned a bachelor’s degree from CEPT University in Ahmedabad and obtained her master’s degree from Harvard University through Fulbright-Nehru and Inlaks Scholarships.
At Columbia, she identified with the gender-neutral pronoun “they.” She had received research support from the Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute at Harvard for work on topics including caste, family dynamics, and post-extractive landscapes in India. Srinivasan had also collaborated with an environmental advocacy nonprofit in Washington on climate-related urban research and was a researcher for the West Philadelphia Landscape Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The Trump administration had previously increased scrutiny on Ivy League universities, accusing them of failing to curb anti-Semitism and threatening to withdraw federal funding. Columbia University alone receives approximately $400 million in federal funding.
Last week, a former Columbia University student of Palestinian descent, involved in protests on campus and at the affiliated Barnard College, was arrested by immigration officials and is now facing deportation. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder, also had his visa revoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. His deportation has been temporarily halted following a judge’s intervention.
Noem also revealed that a Palestinian student at Columbia had been arrested by an immigration official for overstaying their visa. Attorney General Todd Blanch stated that the Justice Department and Homeland Security were investigating whether Columbia University was “harboring and concealing illegal aliens” on campus.
Columbia University Interim President Katrina Armstrong reported that immigration agents had conducted raids with court-issued warrants at student dormitories, but no arrests were made at the time. The university also disclosed that several students involved in occupying university buildings had since left the campus voluntarily.
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