Indian PhD Student Self-Deports from US After Visa Revocation Over Alleged Hamas Ties
Ranjani Srinivasan, a Columbia University scholar, fled to Canada citing safety concerns after her visa was revoked, a move her lawyers claim was retaliation for her political speech.
- Ranjani Srinivasan, a 37-year-old Indian PhD student at Columbia University, left the US for Canada after her F-1 visa was revoked on March 5 by the Department of State.
- The US Department of Homeland Security accused Srinivasan of supporting Hamas, a claim her legal team denies, arguing she was targeted for protected political speech and activism.
- Srinivasan described the situation as a 'dystopian nightmare,' citing fear for her safety after repeated visits from federal immigration agents to her apartment in New York.
- Columbia University withdrew her enrollment following the visa revocation, leaving her unable to complete her doctoral studies in urban planning after five years of work.
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem labeled Srinivasan a 'terrorist sympathizer' and celebrated her departure as 'self-deportation,' a characterization her lawyers strongly dispute.
Free Press Journal 
