The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that an Indian doctoral student from Columbia University, whose visa was revoked for supporting Hamas, has self-deported using the CBP Home App.
Ranjani Srinivasan, a citizen of India, arrived in the United States on an F-1 student visa to pursue a doctoral degree in Urban Planning at Columbia University, an Ivy League institution known for its rigorous academic programs. However, her academic journey took a dramatic turn when she became involved in activities supporting Hamas, a Palestinian militant group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. While specific details of her actions remain undisclosed, the Department of State deemed it necessary to revoke her visa on March 5, 2025.
Facing removal proceedings, Srinivasan opted to leave the country voluntarily. Video footage obtained by DHS shows her using the CBP Home App—a digital tool launched by U.S. Customs and Border Protection—to self-deport on March 11.
Additionally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested another student involved in pro-Hamas activities for overstaying her expired student visa. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) team in Newark arrested Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian student from the West Bank, for overstaying her F-1 visa.
Kordia, also enrolled at Columbia University, saw her visa terminated on January 26, 2022, after she stopped attending classes. Her immigration troubles were compounded by prior legal issues: in April 2024, she was arrested for participating in pro-Hamas protests on Columbia’s New York City campus.
Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement regarding both cases: “It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live and 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 am glad to see one of the Columbia University terrorist sympathizers use the CBP Home App to self-deport.”
These incidents come amid heightened scrutiny of foreign students in the U.S. Columbia University, located in New York City, has been a focal point for pro-Palestinian activism, with tensions escalating since the Israel-Hamas conflict intensified in recent years.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently launched a new mobile application, CBP Home, featuring a self-deportation reporting tool designed for undocumented individuals residing in the United States. The app aims to encourage voluntary departure as a safer and more cost-effective alternative to traditional enforcement methods.
DHS emphasized that self-deportation through the CBP Home app provides a safer option for undocumented individuals to leave the country while conserving valuable resources for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Self-deportation is the safest option for illegal aliens while preserving law enforcement resources. Not only is it safer, but it also saves U.S. taxpayer dollars and valuable CBP and ICE resources to focus on dangerous criminal aliens,” the department stated in its release.
The self-deportation feature is part of a broader $200 million domestic and international advertising campaign titled “Stay Out and Leave Now,” which urges undocumented individuals to depart voluntarily. The CBP Home app, now available for free in mobile app stores, will automatically replace the existing CBP One app for current users and includes new functionality to submit an intent to self-deport.
In a statement, Secretary Noem criticized the previous administration’s policies, saying, “The Biden administration exploited the CBP One app to allow more than 1 million undocumented individuals to illegally enter the United States. With the launch of the CBP Home app, we are restoring integrity to our immigration system.”
She added, “The CBP Home app gives undocumented individuals 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.”
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
