Ranjani Srinivasan, a doctoral student at Columbia University, left the United States last week after their student visa was revoked.
The US Department of State cancelled the visa on March 5, citing security concerns over their alleged support for Hamas.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X, calling Srinivasan a “terrorist sympathiser” and stating:
“Those who advocate terrorism and violence must not stay in the US.”
Srinivasan, now in Canada, described their experience as a “dystopian nightmare.”
The student said: “I’m fearful that even the most low-level political speech or just doing what we all do—like shout into the abyss that is social media—can turn into this dystopian nightmare where somebody is calling you a terrorist sympathiser and making you, literally, fear for your life and your safety.”
According to Srinivasan, their social media activity mainly involved liking or sharing posts about human rights violations in Gaza.
“I’m just surprised that I’m a person of interest…I’m kind of a random (random).”
Their decision to leave the US came two days after federal immigration officials visited their home. Feeling unsafe, they quickly packed, left their cat with a friend, and departed.
According to the New York Times, the situation is “volatile and dangerous.”
Self-deporting allows individuals to leave voluntarily rather than risk being placed on a US military aircraft for deportation.
Experts say self-deportation is often a strategy used by individuals facing uncertain legal situations to avoid prolonged detention or legal battles.
It also allows them more control over their departure rather than being forcibly removed by authorities.
Columbia University’s website indicates that Srinivasan uses the gender-neutral “they” pronoun.
Their research focused on land-labour relations in peri-urban statutory towns in India, supported by the Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute.
They hold a Bachelor’s Degree from CEPT University in Ahmedabad and a Master’s from Harvard, funded by Fulbright Nehru and Inlaks Scholarships.
Their work includes environmental advocacy in Washington and research for the West Philadelphia Landscape Project at MIT.
Srinivasan has also contributed to policy discussions on climate change and urban planning, with a focus on marginalised communities.
The website states that their interests span urbanisation, the political economy of development, and historical geographies of capitalism and caste.
Their academic work has been published in international journals, and they have presented at global conferences on urban development and social justice.
Ranjani Srinivasan’s case has sparked discussions about academic freedom and the risks faced by international students engaging in political discourse.
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