Who is Ranjani Srinivasan? Indian Scholar Whose Visa Was Revoked By US

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday that an Indian doctoral student from Columbia University had self-deported using the CBP Home App after her visa was revoked for participating in pro-Palestinian protests.

The student has been identified as Ranjani Srinivasan, whose visa was suspended on March 5 due to security concerns related to her alleged support for Hamas.

On March 11, the department confirmed that the student had self-deported using the CBP Home App. Video footage was released showing Srinivasan completing the visa process at LaGuardia Airport.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed the self-deportation and stated: “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 sympathizers use the CBP Home App to self-deport.”

Also Read: Indian Student Ranjani Srinivasan Self-Deports After US Visa Revoked Over Pro-Palestine Protests

Who is Ranjani Srinivasan?

Ranjani Srinivasan is an Indian national and doctoral scholar who was pursuing a PhD in Urban Planning at Columbia University.

Srinivasan entered the United States on an F-1 student visa.

DHS accused Srinivasan of supporting activities linked to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.

On NYU Wagner’s official website, Srinivasan was described as a Fulbright recipient with an extensive academic background.

The profile further stated: “Their research focuses on the evolving nature of land-labor relations in peri-urban statutory towns in India. Broadly, this project aims to examine shifts in the political economy of labor that have now culminated in the current crisis of jobless growth.”

Srinivasan holds an M.Phil in Urban Planning from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP). They also obtained a master’s degree in design from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and completed a Bachelor of Design from CEPT University in India.

The profile suggested that “the political economy of development, the spatial politics of land, and the sociology of labor” are Srinivasan’s primary areas of interest.

Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian student from the West Bank, was arrested by ICE HSI Newark officers for remaining in the country after her F-1 student visa had expired. Her visa was terminated on January 26, 2022, due to a lack of attendance.

The CBP Home App allows undocumented individuals residing in the United States to voluntarily depart as a safer and more cost-effective alternative to traditional enforcement methods.