Ranjani Srinivasan, a 37-year-old Indian student who received his PhD in urban planning from Columbia University, was forced to flee the United States after his student visa was revoked. The US State Department cancelled its visa on March 5th.
Srinivasan’s troubles began when she was caught up in the government’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests. Despite no evidence being provided, she was accused of supporting violence and ties with Hamas. When federal immigrant agents arrived at her apartment, the situation escalated, prompting her to make a quick decision to leave the country.
In an interview with the New York Times, Srinivasan expressed her fears and uncertainty, saying, “The atmosphere seemed very unstable and dangerous.” She also shared concerns about the government’s crackdown on freedom of speech, saying, “Even the lowest level of political speech is afraid that someone will call you a terrorist sympathizer and turn you into this dystopian nightmare that literally scares you of your life and your safety.”
Srinivasan’s decision to escape came after a night of fear and uncertainty. She packed her belongings, left the cat and jumped on a flight to Canada for safety. Her roommate was left to manage the pressure as immigration agents continued to search for her.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that Srinivasan voluntarily self-reported using the CBP Home App. Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem said, “It is a privilege to be given a visa to live and study in the United States. When defending violence and terrorism, that privilege should not be revoked and you should not be in this country.”
It is a privilege to be granted a visa for live and studying in the United States.
When you defend violence and terrorism, your privilege should be revoked and you should not be in this country.
I’m happy to meet one of the terrorist sympathizers at Columbia University…pic.twitter.com/jr2uvvkgcm
– Secretary of Kristi Noem (@sec_noem) March 14th, 2025
Srinivasan’s academic background is impressive, earning a Masters in Urban Planning from Columbia University, a Masters in Design from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in Design from CEPT University in India. Her research focuses on land relations in the peri-urban regions of India with academic interests in political and economics, land politics and labor sociology.
The incident underscores the US government’s strict stance on national security and immigration policies. The Srinivasan incident has attracted attention amid increasing scrutiny of individuals and organizations allegedly supporting Hamas. Visa revocations for security reasons have become more frequent, reflecting government efforts to implement visa regulations and prevent individuals considering staying within the country.
