Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen who participated in pro-Palestinian protests at United State’s Columbia College, has self-deported, the Division of Homeland Safety stated.
The division has reportedly launched a video of Ranjani Srinivasan at what seems to be an airport as she hurried down a jetway along with her baggage. She left on Tuesday, The Washington Instances reported, citing the Division of Homeland Safety.
The State Division had revoked her visa final week.
The US Justice Division can be investigating whether or not Columbia College hid “unlawful aliens” on its campus, one among its prime officers stated on Friday, because the Trump administration intensified its marketing campaign to deport foreigners who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on the college final 12 months, information company Related Press reported.
Brokers with the Division of Homeland Safety searched two college residences with a warrant on Thursday night. Nobody was arrested and it was unclear whom the authorities have been looking for, however by Friday afternoon, US officers had introduced developments associated to 2 folks they’d pursued in reference to the demonstrations, it added.
Ranjani Srinivasan, a Columbia doctoral pupil from India whose visa was revoked by the Trump administration, fled the US on an airliner. And a Palestinian lady who had been arrested in the course of the protests on the college final April was arrested by federal immigration authorities in Newark, New Jersey, on fees that she overstayed an expired visa.
Deputy Legal professional Common Todd Blanche, talking on the Justice Division, stated it was all a part of the president’s “mission to finish antisemitism on this nation”.
Columbia College has come beneath immense stress from the Trump administration in current weeks, with the US authorities cancelling USD 400 million in federal grants and contracts to the varsity, a lot of it for medical analysis, as punishment for not cracking down more durable on college students and school who criticised Israel’s army motion in Gaza throughout massive protests final spring.
President Donald Trump and different officers have accused the protesters as being “pro-Hamas”, referring to the militant group that attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
Columbia College’s campus has been in disaster for the reason that arrest on Saturday of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who helped lead final spring’s protests.
Why was Ranjani Srinivasan’s visa revoked?
On Friday, the Trump administration stated it had revoked the visa of Ranjani Srinivasan for “advocating for violence and terrorism”. Srinivasan opted to “self-deport” on Tuesday, the division stated. Officers didn’t say what proof they’d that Srinivasan had advocated violence.
In keeping with a information launch, Ranjani Srinivasan entered america on an F-1 visa and was “concerned in actions supporting Hamas, a terrorist organisation”.
“On March 5, 2025, the Division of State revoked her visa,” the information launch learn. “The Division of Homeland Safety has obtained video footage of her utilizing the CBP Dwelling App to self-deport on March 11.”
Secretary of Homeland Safety Kristi Noem posted a video on X on Friday that seems to point out Srinivasan pulling a suitcase at LaGuardia Airport.
Watch the video right here:
The DHS launched the CBP Dwelling app on Monday, based on a information launch despatched out the identical day. The app hosts a self-deportation function that permits undocumented immigrants to declare their intent to go away america.
One other protester arrested
The lady who was arrested in Newark, Leqaa Kordia, was charged with failing to go away the US after her visa expired. Columbia stated it had no document of Kordia ever being a pupil there, or being arrested on the campus. Nevertheless, there have been quite a few protests and arrests within the streets exterior of the college on the similar time.
