Indian Student Ranjani Srinivasan Self Deports US After Visa Revocation for Hamas Support

The US DHS announced that Indian doctoral student Ranjani Srinivasan from Columbia University self-deported after her visa was revoked for alleged Hamas support. Her departure follows increased scrutiny of foreign students in the US amidst pro-Palestinian protests on campuses.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that an Indian doctoral student from Columbia University, whose visa was revoked for allegedly supporting Hamas, has voluntarily left the United States.

The student, Ranjani Srinivasan, used the CBP Home App to self-deport on March 11, 2025, after the Department of State cancelled her visa on March 5 due to security concerns.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed the self-deportation and issued a statement saying, “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.

Srinivasan’s case comes amid increased scrutiny of foreign students in the US following pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. Another Columbia student, Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from the West Bank, was arrested by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officers in Newark for overstaying her F-1 student visa, which had expired on January 26, 2022.

Kordia had previously been arrested in April 2024 for participating in pro-Hamas protests at Columbia University.

The DHS has not released further details about Srinivasan’s alleged activities but confirmed that video footage of her departure using the CBP Home App had been obtained.

Who is Ranjani Srinivasan?
Ranjani Srinivasan is an Indian national who was pursuing a doctoral degree in Urban Planning at Columbia University.

A Fulbright recipient, she holds an M.Phil in Urban Planning from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP), a Master’s in Design from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, and a Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) from CEPT University in India.

According to Srinivasan’s bio on NYU Wagner’s official website, her research focuses on “the evolving nature of land-labour relations in peri-urban statutory towns in India,” with broader interests in “the political economy of development, the spatial politics of land, and the sociology of labour.”The US government has not disclosed additional details regarding the specific reasons behind the visa revocation beyond allegations of supporting Hamas.

Trump’s Hardline Approach to Student Activism
Srinivasan’s deportation is part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on campus activism. In the wake of large-scale protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, the government has aggressively targeted students and scholars involved in demonstrations.

The administration has:

Revoked visas of multiple foreign students, including Palestinian activist Leqaa Kordia.
Arrested activists like Mahmoud Khalil, citing security concerns.
Threatened universities with funding cuts, as seen in the $400 million federal funding withdrawal from Columbia University.
These measures, while framed as protecting national security and Jewish students from harassment, also raise concerns about government overreach. Are all forms of anti-Israel protest now being equated with terrorism?

The Weaponization of Immigration Policies

The use of visa revocation as a tool to suppress dissent is a growing concern. Historically, the U.S. has championed free speech and academic freedom, but recent actions suggest a shift toward criminalizing certain political viewpoints.While no one disputes the need to prevent actual terrorist threats, lumping student protesters into that category—without publicly available evidence—creates a chilling effect on political discourse. International students may now fear that even peaceful activism could result in deportation.