Abandoned Cat, Flight Booking To Canada: How Ranjani Srinivasan Fled After US Authorities Revoked Her Visa

It was not an ordinary morning for Ranjani Srinivasan, an international student from India.

When immigration agents knocked on her door on March 7 — just two days after she received an email from the US Consulate in Chennai informing her of her visa cancellation. Ranjani, a doctoral student in Urban Planning at Columbia University, was forced to flee the US, leaving behind her cat and belongings with a friend, after her visa was revoked for allegedly “advocating for violence and terrorism” and being involved in activities supporting Hamas.

According to a report by The New York Times, she took a last-minute flight to Canada to ensure her safety. Upon discovering her visa had been cancelled, Srinivasan contacted Columbia’s international student office for assistance.

In a conversation with The New York Times, she recalled the moment immigration agents arrived at her door, saying she panicked as soon as she heard the doorbell. “I was on the phone with my friend in Canada, figuring out the details of my flight, when I heard the doorbell. I panicked,” she was quoted as saying by The New York Times.

“The agents were persistent. My roommate had to explain that I had already left and was gone. It was a moment of sheer tension,” she added.

Meanwhile, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that being granted a visa to live and study in the United States is a “privilege”, according to PTI.

“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 sympathisers use the CBP Home app to self-deport,” Noem said.

Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen and national, arrived in the United States on an F-1 student visa to pursue a doctorate in Urban Planning at Columbia University.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that it has obtained video footage of Srinivasan using the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home App to self-deport on 11 March. A day earlier, on 10 March, the department introduced the CBP Home app, which includes a self-deportation reporting feature for individuals residing in the country unlawfully. Through this mobile application, those staying illegally can submit their intent to leave the country.

Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced the immediate withdrawal of around USD 400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University, citing “the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.”