Columbia Student Ranjani Srinivasan Flees To Canada Before ICE Can Arrest Her

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India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY – Ranjani Srinivasan, a 37-year-old doctoral student in Urban Planning at Columbia University, is currently in Canada after voluntarily leaving the United States. Her decision to self-deport came after her student visa was revoked on March 5 by the U.S. Department of State, citing her alleged involvement in activities supporting Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.

Srinivasan, an Indian national and Fulbright scholar, was not given specific details about the revocation, only a vague reference to “information” that had come to light.

On March 7, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents first visited her apartment, but she was not home. The following night, they returned, and Srinivasan, feeling the pressure of the escalating situation, quickly packed a few belongings, left her cat with a friend, and boarded a flight to Canada from LaGuardia Airport. Meanwhile, federal agents arrested another Columbia student, Mahmoud Khalil, on campus.

By the time ICE agents returned to her apartment with a judicial warrant, Srinivasan had already left the country. Reflecting on the tense atmosphere, she told The New York Times, “The atmosphere seemed so volatile and dangerous. So, I just made a quick decision.”

Her troubles began last year during pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia. Though not a direct participant, Srinivasan was arrested after she was caught in a chaotic clash between protesters and police. She was issued two court summonses for obstructing traffic and failing to disperse, but both charges were dropped without any criminal record. Srinivasan did not disclose these summonses when renewing her student visa, believing the charges had been dismissed and were therefore not relevant. In hindsight, she admitted to NYT, “Maybe that was my mistake,” but emphasized that she would have disclosed the information had she known it was required.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security later announced that Srinivasan had self-deported using the CBP Home App. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem issued a statement, stating that holding a U.S. visa is a privilege and those advocating violence or terrorism should not remain in the country. The move was part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on pro-Palestinian activists, and Srinivasan’s case has sparked concerns among immigration lawyers about the government’s aggressive actions in cases involving political speech.

Srinivasan believes that her limited social media activity—criticizing Israeli policies and supporting Palestinian rights—was the main reason she became a target. “I’m just surprised that I’m a person of interest,” she told NYT. Her legal team argues that her visa was revoked not due to criminal activity but because of her political expression supporting Palestinian rights.

Now, in Canada, Srinivasan faces an uncertain future, but she remains resolute. “I’m fearful that even the most low-level political speech can turn into this dystopian nightmare,” she told The New York Times, “where somebody is calling you a terrorist sympathizer and making you, literally, fear for your life and your safety.”

On March 14, Srinivasan received an email from Columbia informing her that her enrollment had been withdrawn due to her terminated visa status.

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