An Indian doctoral student at Columbia University has self-deported after the revocation of her visa over pro-Palestinian protest, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed in a press release on Friday.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that one of the Columbia students who had her student visa revoked for advocating for “violence and terrorism” self-deported using the CBP (customs and border protection) Home App.
“It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live & 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’m glad to see one of the Columbia University terrorist sympathizers use the CBP Home app to self-deport,” she said.
Ranjani Srinivasan, a PhD student in Urban Planning at Columbia University, had entered the United States on an F-1 student visa.
Her visa was revoked by the State Department on March 5 after the US government accused her of involvement in activities in support of Hamas.
CBP One app, which was formerly used to process asylum claims at the southern border of the United States has been relaunched as CBP Home, a platform for “self-deportation” on March 14.
CBP One was launched in October 2020 during President Donald Trump’s first presidential term.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that all asylum appointments made through its app had been canceled, leaving thousands of asylum seekers stranded at the border after weeks or months of waiting.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem made the announcement on Monday in a statement that, “The CBP Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self-deport, so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream.”
“If they don’t, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return.”
According to the DSH statement, another student Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from the West Bank, was arrested by ICE HSI Newark officers for her involvement in a pro-Palestine protest.
Columbia, the Ivy League university, was at the forefront of US campus protests against the genocide in Gaza, with pro-Palestinian demonstrators setting up an encampment in April last year, inspiring a wave of similar protests.
The Department of State announced that it plans to deport students affiliated with pro-Palestine protests.
Earlier, United States Department of Homeland Security agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and recent graduate student at Columbia University, and revoked his green card, which was widely condemned by Students, faculty, civil liberties and civil rights groups, elected officials, and others, citing repression of free speech and violations to First Amendment rights.
On Thursday, the University Judicial Board also issued expulsions, temporary degree revocations, and multi-year suspensions for students involved in the April 2024 occupation of Hamilton Hall.
Earlier, The Trump administration announced that Columbia University will lose $400m in federal grants and contracts over “continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students”.
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