Sat Mar 15 19:41:26 UTC 2025: ## Indian PhD Student Deported from US, Seeks India’s Help
**New Delhi, March 16, 2025** – Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian PhD candidate at Columbia University, has been deported from the United States after her visa was revoked. Srinivasan, who was six months away from completing her thesis, alleges she was targeted for her participation in pro-Palestinian protests.
In an online interview with The Hindu, Srinivasan recounted how US immigration and customs enforcement agents raided her apartment, leading her to seek refuge in Canada. She claims she was accused of being a “pro-Hamas sympathiser” and “advocating for violence and terrorism,” charges she vehemently denies. Her teaching assistant position and I-20 visa were terminated, giving her 15 days to leave the country.
Srinivasan states that the university’s actions were sudden and without clear legal grounds, describing the experience as “inexplicable” and unprecedented. Her legal counsel agrees, highlighting the Department of State’s broad discretion regarding F-1 visas. She expresses fear of further retaliation from US authorities.
Srinivasan points to a broader trend, claiming several other students facing similar accusations of activism are also being deported. She emphasizes her lack of involvement in activism beyond attending protests and highlights her strong academic record, including previous studies at Harvard. She has expressed a desire to return to India from Canada and complete her PhD thesis, appealing for assistance from the Indian government in regaining her F-1 visa. She concludes by noting the concerning erosion of campus safety and freedom of speech at Columbia University amidst heightened political tensions.
First Piper 