Indian student at Columbia Univ gets visa revoked for ‘supporting Hamas’

New York/Washington:An Indian student at Columbia University, whose visa was revoked for allegedly “advocating for violence and terrorism” and involvement in activities supporting Hamas, has self-deported.

Ranjani Srinivasan, a citizen and national of India, entered the United States on a F-1 student visa as a doctoral student in Urban Planning at Columbia University, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Friday. It added that Srinivasan was “involved in activities supporting” Hamas, a terrorist organisation.

The Department of State had revoked her visa on March 5. The Department of Homeland Security said it has obtained video footage of Srinivasan using the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home App to self-deport on March 11.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in the statement that it is a “privilege to be granted a visa to live and study in the United States of America”.

“When you advocate for violence and terrorism, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country. I am glad to see one of the Columbia University terrorist sympathisers use the CBP Home app to self-deport,” Noem said. The Department of Homeland Security had, on March 10, launched the CBP Home app with a self-deportation reporting feature for those illegally staying in the country. Individuals illegally staying in the country can use the CBP Home mobile phone application to submit their intent to depart the country. The CBP app gives such individuals the option to “leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream. If they don’t, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return”, the Homeland Security Department said.

Another student, Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from West Bank, was arrested by ICE HSI Newark officers for overstaying her expired F-1 student visa. Previously, in April 2024, Kordia was arrested for her involvement in pro-Hamas protests at Columbia University in New York City, the department said.

Last week, the Trump administration had announced the immediate cancellation of approximately USD 400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the “school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students”.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education and the US General Services Administration took the action as members of the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism.