Indian Columbia University Student Departs U.S. Following Visa Revocation Over Alleged Hamas Support

Washington, D.C., March 15, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian doctoral student at Columbia University, has voluntarily left the United States after her visa was revoked due to alleged support for Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.

Srinivasan, a doctoral candidate in Urban Planning at Columbia University, had entered the U.S. on an F-1 student visa. Citing security concerns, the U.S. Department of State canceled her visa on March 5, 2025. On March 11, 2025, she self-deported using the CBP Home App, and authorities have obtained video footage documenting her departure.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed the development, stating in a post on X: “It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live and study in the United States. That privilege should be revoked if someone advocates for violence and terrorism.”

Srinivasan’s academic credentials include an M.Phil in Urban Planning from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP), a Master’s in Design from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, and a Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) from CEPT University. According to her biography on NYU Wagner’s official website, her research focuses on the evolving dynamics of land-labor relations in peri-urban areas of India, with interests in political economy, spatial politics of land, and labor sociology.

U.S. authorities have not disclosed further details about the specific activities that led to her visa revocation. However, the case underscores the stringent enforcement of visa regulations concerning national security concerns.