Washington: Rajni Srinivasan, an Indian student pursuing PhD from Columbia University in the US, has done self-deportation after her student visa was canceled by the Trump administration. Srinivasan allegedly participated in a pro-Palestine protest at the university last year, due to which she was targeted by the US government. She is a doctoral student in urban planning at Columbia University. She entered the US on an F-1 student visa.
According to a First Post report, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement that it revoked Srinivasan's visa on March 5 for alleged participation in 'activities supporting Hamas, a terrorist organization'. Srinivasan used the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home app to self-deport on March 11, footage of which has been retained by DHS.
DHS confirms Rajni Srinivasan's self-deportation
The department said in a statement, "Today, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that one of the Columbia students, whose visa was revoked for advocating violence and terrorism, self-deported using the CBP Home app." The statement also said that ICE arrested a Palestinian student for overstaying after her expired F-1 visa. ICE arrested Leka Cordia, a Palestinian student from the West Bank.
Apart from him, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student from Columbia, has also been arrested. He is also facing deportation. Khalil is accused of being involved in Palestinian protests on the university campus last year.
What did the DHS Secretary say on Rajni Srinivasan's self-deportation?
Kristi Noem shared a video on X and wrote, "It is an honor to be granted a visa to live and study in the US. When you advocate violence and terrorism, it should be revoked and you should not be in this country. I was glad to see a Columbia University student, one of those who sympathize with terrorists, using the CBP Home app for self-deportation." The video posted by Noem reportedly shows Srinivasan at La Guardia Airport in New York City.
How does self-deportation work?
The Trump administration launched a new app on March 10 that allows undocumented immigrants to self-deport. DHS said in a statement that the CBP Home app has a self-deportation feature that allows illegal immigrants to submit their intent to depart the US. The app asks migrants if they have enough money to leave the US and if they have a valid, unexpired passport from their country of original citizenship.
People have the option to leave the country now and self-deport - Kristi Noem
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement, "Individuals have the option to leave now and self-deport so that in the future they have the opportunity to return legally and live the American dream. If they don't do this, we will find them, we will deport them and they will never come back." What other options does the CBP Home app offer?
This app replaces CBP One, a mobile app launched in 2020 by the previous Joe Biden administration to facilitate the legal entry of migrants at the border. According to the BBC, the CBP Home app also allows people to apply and pay for I-94 entry and exit cards seven days before travel, book scans for perishable goods, and check wait times at US border crossings.
The app, which is free on mobile app stores, is part of a $200 million domestic and international advertising campaign urging undocumented immigrants to "stay out and leave now," DHS said.
However, immigration lawyers have cautioned people against using the app's "self-deport" feature, saying it will likely only collect their personal data without offering a legal path to residency and citizenship.
'This app has created fear'
Vanessa Cardenas, executive director of the immigrant advocacy group America's Voice, told Axios, "The Trump administration's approach to self-deportation will only add chaos and cruelty to an already broken system." She said the app has created fear and encouraged self-deportation among immigrants who entered the US legally.
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