अमेरिकी अधिकारियों के डर से भारतीय छात्रा ने छोड़ा अमेरिका, रूममेट ने बचाया!
भारतीय छात्रा रंजनी श्रीनिवासन को हमास के समर्थन के आरोप में अमेरिका छोड़ना पड़ा। उनका वीजा रद्द कर दिया गया था, और उन्हें अमेरिकी अधिकारियों द्वारा हिरासत में लिए जाने का डर था। रंजनी ने बताया कि कैसे उनकी रूममेट ने अमेरिकी आव्रजन और सीमा शुल्क प्रवर्तन (ICE) के अधिकारियों से उन्हें बचाया, जो उनके दरवाजे पर आ धमके थे। रंजनी ने भारत सरकार से मदद की गुहार लगाई है ताकि वह अपनी पीएचडी पूरी कर सकें। कोलंबिया विश्वविद्यालय ने भी उनका नामांकन रद्द कर दिया था।
Here is the rewritten article:
In a recent incident, Indian student Ranjani Srinivasan, who was pursuing her PhD at Columbia University in New York, had to leave the United States. The reason? Allegations of supporting Hamas led to the revocation of her student visa. Fearing action from American authorities, she reportedly chose self-deportation. Ranjani recounted the tense moment when officials arrived at her doorstep.
Highlights of the incident:
What exactly happened?
Ranjani received an email from the embassy informing her about the visa cancellation. According to The News Minute, the U.S. Consulate in Chennai sent the email on March 5th at 11:45 PM local time. Upon seeing the email the next morning, Ranjani contacted the ISSO on campus. She feared violating visa regulations and needed to make immediate arrangements if she had to leave the country. However, she received no immediate response.
She then emailed the Dean of Academic and Student Affairs, who ensured that Maria Renoso, the ISSO's compliance director, would respond. Renoso suggested an online meeting with an ISSO advisor, initially scheduled for March 11th. After Ranjani explained her urgency, the appointment was moved to March 7th.
During the online meeting on March 7th, Ranjani was informed that her Form I-20, or ‘Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant Student Status,’ was still valid, meaning her presence in the country was still legal. However, this relief was short-lived. A knock came at the door of her flat on campus. Ranjani said, "My roommate recognized the knock as being from law enforcement and knew how to respond. Without opening the door, she asked them to identify themselves."
The people at the door did not identify themselves as ICE, but claimed to be police officers. They allegedly shouted through the door that Ranjani's visa had been cancelled and they only wanted to talk.
Ranjani explained to TNM that ICE can use tricks to enter a home. Opening the door implies consent for search and arrest. This had happened to someone named Khalil. However, ICE requires a judicial warrant to force entry.
Since Ranjani did not open the door and there was no warrant, the agents had to leave. This interaction occurred while Ranjani was still on the call with the ISSO advisor.
'If I had been alone...'
Ranjani said, "If I had been alone, I would have opened the door. I would have been taken to a detention center, and deportation proceedings would probably be underway right now. I was talking to the advisor who was saying everything was fine, but ICE was at my door. I told her this, and she said 'Oh'."
The advisor then muted herself and started making frantic calls. Eventually, she seemed somewhat relieved, ended the calls, turned to Ranjani, and gave her a list of lawyers. She also told her to call Public Safety, the campus security guards. Public Safety advised Ranjani to avoid opening the door for ICE officers and said they would file a report.
'I realized no one was helping'
Ranjani stated that ICE cannot enter a private building without a judicial warrant, but they were on campus. She added, "At this point, I realized that no one was really helping me. So I quietly decided to leave the flat, even though I was still confused. I was told that my Form I-20 was still valid, meaning my stay in America was still legal."
Ranjani alleges that ICE tried to enter the flat again on March 8th and 9th, after she had already left. On March 9th, the ISSO informed Ranjani that her student status had been revoked. Columbia also cancelled her enrollment and asked her to vacate university housing. Fearing detention, Ranjani left for Canada on March 11th. After Ranjani left the U.S., her lawyers informed ICE on March 14th that she had left the country.
ICE responded and asked for proof. Her lawyers were still gathering proof of departure when DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted a viral CCTV clip of Ranjani at the airport and referred to the former doctoral candidate as a 'Hamas supporter' in the caption.
'University is cooperating with authorities'
On March 13th, DHS officers allegedly went to Ranjani's flat with a warrant. Ranjani says the officers were surprised to find the bedroom empty and clean. Columbia also sent an official email to students informing them that the university was cooperating with the relevant authorities.
Ranjani hopes for help from the Indian government
Regarding her current situation, Ranjani says, "The fact that this has escalated so much even for someone like me is scary. I've just shared some social media posts and signed some letters on academic repression; it's really somewhat disheartening. I don't have that kind of access."
She remains hopeful and said, "I would request the Ministry of External Affairs to please restore my visa and allow me to re-enroll at Columbia. I also appeal to the Indian government to support me and protect other Indian students. I am six months away from completing my PhD. As you can see, the whole process was very arbitrary. The risk of staying there and appealing was so high that I could not go through the judicial process there. I just hope that both the Indian government and the Tamil Nadu state government can work together and help me solve this problem."
In a recent incident, Indian student Ranjani Srinivasan, who was pursuing her PhD at Columbia University in New York, had to leave the United States. The reason? Allegations of supporting Hamas led to the revocation of her student visa. Fearing action from American authorities, she reportedly chose self-deportation. Ranjani recounted the tense moment when officials arrived at her doorstep.
Highlights of the incident:
- Ranjani Srinivasan shares her ordeal after leaving the U.S. due to visa cancellation.
- She recounts the moment when ICE officials arrived at her door, and her roommate stepped in to handle the situation.
- Ranjani believes that opening the door would have led to her detention.
What exactly happened?
Ranjani received an email from the embassy informing her about the visa cancellation. According to The News Minute, the U.S. Consulate in Chennai sent the email on March 5th at 11:45 PM local time. Upon seeing the email the next morning, Ranjani contacted the ISSO on campus. She feared violating visa regulations and needed to make immediate arrangements if she had to leave the country. However, she received no immediate response.
She then emailed the Dean of Academic and Student Affairs, who ensured that Maria Renoso, the ISSO's compliance director, would respond. Renoso suggested an online meeting with an ISSO advisor, initially scheduled for March 11th. After Ranjani explained her urgency, the appointment was moved to March 7th.
During the online meeting on March 7th, Ranjani was informed that her Form I-20, or ‘Certificate of Eligibility for Non-immigrant Student Status,’ was still valid, meaning her presence in the country was still legal. However, this relief was short-lived. A knock came at the door of her flat on campus. Ranjani said, "My roommate recognized the knock as being from law enforcement and knew how to respond. Without opening the door, she asked them to identify themselves."
The people at the door did not identify themselves as ICE, but claimed to be police officers. They allegedly shouted through the door that Ranjani's visa had been cancelled and they only wanted to talk.
Ranjani explained to TNM that ICE can use tricks to enter a home. Opening the door implies consent for search and arrest. This had happened to someone named Khalil. However, ICE requires a judicial warrant to force entry.
Since Ranjani did not open the door and there was no warrant, the agents had to leave. This interaction occurred while Ranjani was still on the call with the ISSO advisor.
'If I had been alone...'
Ranjani said, "If I had been alone, I would have opened the door. I would have been taken to a detention center, and deportation proceedings would probably be underway right now. I was talking to the advisor who was saying everything was fine, but ICE was at my door. I told her this, and she said 'Oh'."
The advisor then muted herself and started making frantic calls. Eventually, she seemed somewhat relieved, ended the calls, turned to Ranjani, and gave her a list of lawyers. She also told her to call Public Safety, the campus security guards. Public Safety advised Ranjani to avoid opening the door for ICE officers and said they would file a report.
'I realized no one was helping'
Ranjani stated that ICE cannot enter a private building without a judicial warrant, but they were on campus. She added, "At this point, I realized that no one was really helping me. So I quietly decided to leave the flat, even though I was still confused. I was told that my Form I-20 was still valid, meaning my stay in America was still legal."
Ranjani alleges that ICE tried to enter the flat again on March 8th and 9th, after she had already left. On March 9th, the ISSO informed Ranjani that her student status had been revoked. Columbia also cancelled her enrollment and asked her to vacate university housing. Fearing detention, Ranjani left for Canada on March 11th. After Ranjani left the U.S., her lawyers informed ICE on March 14th that she had left the country.
ICE responded and asked for proof. Her lawyers were still gathering proof of departure when DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted a viral CCTV clip of Ranjani at the airport and referred to the former doctoral candidate as a 'Hamas supporter' in the caption.
'University is cooperating with authorities'
On March 13th, DHS officers allegedly went to Ranjani's flat with a warrant. Ranjani says the officers were surprised to find the bedroom empty and clean. Columbia also sent an official email to students informing them that the university was cooperating with the relevant authorities.
Ranjani hopes for help from the Indian government
Regarding her current situation, Ranjani says, "The fact that this has escalated so much even for someone like me is scary. I've just shared some social media posts and signed some letters on academic repression; it's really somewhat disheartening. I don't have that kind of access."
She remains hopeful and said, "I would request the Ministry of External Affairs to please restore my visa and allow me to re-enroll at Columbia. I also appeal to the Indian government to support me and protect other Indian students. I am six months away from completing my PhD. As you can see, the whole process was very arbitrary. The risk of staying there and appealing was so high that I could not go through the judicial process there. I just hope that both the Indian government and the Tamil Nadu state government can work together and help me solve this problem."
