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Ranjani Srinivasan, a 37-year-old PhD student from India at Columbia University, described her abrupt departure from the United States as a “dystopian nightmare” after her student visa was revoked due to her alleged involvement in pro-Palestinian protests.
Using the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) Home App, she self-deported on March 11, 2025, fearing for her safety and future in the U.S. In her first remarks since leaving, she expressed concern about how even mild political speech can be misconstrued and weaponized.
“I’m fearful that even the most low-level political speech… can turn into this dystopian nightmare where somebody is calling you a terrorist sympathizer and making you fear for your life and safety," she told the New York Times.
Why Ranjani Srinivasan Had to Self-Deport
Srinivasan, a Fulbright scholar, was among several non-citizens targeted by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in the wake of President Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University and other campuses.
The State Department revoked her visa, leading Columbia University to rescind her enrollment. Homeland Security officials claimed that Srinivasan had failed to disclose two court summonses related to campus protests, which they cited as a reason for questioning her immigration status.
However, officials did not explain how these summonses connected her to supporting Hamas, an accusation that fueled the revocation of her visa.
The Arrest That Led to Her Deportation
Srinivasan’s legal troubles date back to last year, when she was arrested near Columbia’s campus on the same day demonstrators occupied Hamilton Hall.
She insists she was not involved in the occupation, but was simply walking home after a picnic with friends when she got caught in the crowd and was arrested.
She was issued two summonses:
- Obstructing traffic
- Failing to disperse
Her case was dismissed, and she was never convicted of any crime. According to her attorneys and court documents, she remained in good academic standing at Columbia and faced no disciplinary action from the university.
“She was arrested along with roughly 100 others after being blocked from returning to her apartment and getting caught in the street," said Nathan Yaffe, one of her lawyers. “The court dismissed her case, ruling it had no merit."
Misinterpretation of Her Visa Renewal Application
Srinivasan explained that she did not report the summonses when she renewed her visa because her case had already been dismissed.
“Since I hadn’t been convicted, I marked it as ‘no,’" she said. “Maybe that was my mistake. I would have disclosed it, but the way the questions were framed made it feel like they were assuming a conviction."
Despite having no criminal record, her visa was revoked, and she was forced to self-deport.
Her case raises serious concerns about academic freedom, immigration enforcement, and political expression in the U.S.
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