Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Mar 15: An Indian doctoral student at Columbia University, Ranjani Srinivasan, has left the United States after her student visa was revoked over alleged support for Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, according to the US department of Homeland Security.

Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem announced that Srinivasan, who was pursuing urban planning at Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, "self-deported" using a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) app on March 11.

Srinivasan was reportedly involved in pro-Palestine protests that erupted at Columbia University last year. The campus witnessed widespread demonstrations against Israel’s military actions in Gaza, with some protesters accused of supporting Hamas. However, it remains unclear whether she was directly involved in any unlawful activities.

The US government has intensified its crackdown on student activists involved in such protests. The Trump administration recently cut $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University, citing failure to curb alleged anti-Semitic demonstrations.

Meanwhile, another Columbia student of Palestinian descent, Mahmoud Khalil, was arrested and is facing deportation after his green card was revoked. A Palestinian student, Leqaa Kordia, was also detained for overstaying her student visa.

Federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and Homeland Security, are investigating whether Columbia University harbored undocumented individuals. Recent crackdowns have sparked protests outside the campus, including at the Trump Tower.