Why Trump Administration Revoked Ranjani Srinivasan’s Visa: Indian Scholar Self-Deports Amid Protests
Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian doctoral student at Columbia University who participated in pro-Palestinian protests, has left the United States following the revocation of her visa by the Trump administration. According to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) news release, her visa was revoked on March 5, 2025, for “advocating for violence and terrorism” and for engaging in activities in support of Hamas—a designated terrorist organization.
On Tuesday, Srinivasan self-deported, a process confirmed by video footage released by DHS. The video, posted on X by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, shows her pulling a suitcase as she hurried along a jetway at LaGuardia Airport using the CBP Home App a tool that allows undocumented immigrants to voluntarily declare their intent to leave the country.
The State Department’s decision to revoke her visa comes amid intensified efforts by the Trump administration to deport foreigners linked to the pro-Palestinian demonstrations held at Columbia University last year. In related actions, federal immigration authorities arrested a Palestinian protester, Leqaa Kordia, in Newark, New Jersey, on charges of overstaying an expired visa.
The controversy has also spurred a broader investigation. A top official at the U.S. Justice Department revealed that authorities are probing whether Columbia University concealed “illegal aliens” on its campus. Federal agents executed searches at two university residences last Thursday, though no arrests were made at that time.
These measures come as part of a wider campaign by the Trump administration, which has also taken steps such as cancelling USD 400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University. Officials have accused the university of failing to address protests that critics claim were “pro-Hamas” following the events of October 7, 2023.
While specific evidence linking Srinivasan to violence was not detailed by officials, her departure marks another instance in the administration’s rigorous enforcement of its immigration and national security policies.