‘Betrayed and fighting back’: Columbia PhD student who self-deported battles for justice

Ranjini Srinivasan, an Indian PhD student, never imagined that the institution she dedicated years of her life to would turn its back on her. But after her student visa was abruptly revoked over unproven allegations of supporting Hamas, she found herself fleeing the US in fear, taking refuge in Canada.

"I spent five years at Columbia University, working, I don't know, maybe 100 hours a week sometimes. I never expected the institution to let me down. But it did," she said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

Accusations and expulsion

Srinivasan, a 37-year-old Fulbright scholar pursuing a doctorate in public planning at Columbia University, was on the verge of completing her PhD when the Trump administration revoked her visa, citing alleged support for Hamas, a designated terrorist organization in Gaza. The revocation came in early March, just months after her visa had been renewed in December.

She remains adamant that she has done nothing wrong, and now, she is appealing to Columbia to reinstate her enrollment, calling the university’s silence "a betrayal."

"All the requirements for my PhD are complete, and whatever is left, I don’t even need to be in the US for it," she explained, urging the university to grant her the degree she has rightfully earned.

A midnight escape

Srinivasan's nightmare began on March 5, when she received an email from the US Consulate in Chennai informing her that her student visa had been revoked indefinitely. Mere hours later, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrived at her home, likely intending to detain and deport her.

Fearing for her safety, she refused to answer the door. The next evening, ICE agents returned while she was away, interrogating her roommate. Around the same time, another Columbia student, Mahmoud Khalil, was detained on campus, triggering unrest among students.

With the risk of arrest looming, Ms. Srinivasan fled. Carrying only essential belongings, she managed to evade authorities and, on March 11, boarded a flight to Canada. CCTV footage from New York’s LaGuardia Airport showed her wheeling a suitcase — images that quickly spread across social media.

Four days later, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem publicly labeled her a "terrorist sympathizer" in a post on X (formerly Twitter), further intensifying the scrutiny against her. Yet, no concrete evidence of her alleged affiliations has been publicly shared.

Columbia's silence

Columbia University has yet to issue a statement on the matter. Whether the institution will conduct an internal investigation or support Srinivasan’s appeal remains uncertain. It is also unclear whether she was targeted solely for her political views on Israel and Palestine or if she violated any specific agreement with the university regarding public political discourse.

"I'm fearful that even the most low-level political speech, or just doing what we all do — like shouting into the abyss that is social media — can turn into this dystopian nightmare where someone calls you a terrorist sympathizer, and suddenly, you fear for your life and safety," Srinivasan said.

Now, in Canada, she faces an uncertain future. But with her degree hanging in the balance and her name clouded by controversy, she remains hopeful that Columbia University will do what she believes is right: grant her the doctorate she worked so hard to earn.