India Issues Advisory to Students as U.S. Immigration Crackdown Accelerates Under Trump

According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Badar Khan Suri and Ranjini Srinivasan did not contact Indian embassies in the United States for assistance.

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The Indian government has issued a formal advisory urging Indian students in the United States to strictly comply with American laws, following the recent arrest of a postdoctoral researcher and the self-deportation of a student to Canada amid rising immigration crackdowns linked to pro-Palestine activism.

Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, was arrested by U.S. authorities on allegations of promoting “Hamas propaganda.” In a separate case, Columbia University doctoral student Ranjini Srinivasan had her visa revoked for participating in pro-Palestine protests. She left the U.S. for Canada on March 11, using the Customs and Border Protection’s “CBP One” app to self-deport, following accusations of “advocating for violence and terrorism” and alleged support for Hamas — a group designated as a terrorist organization by both the U.S. and Israel.

Neither Suri nor Srinivasan reached out to Indian consulates or embassies in the United States for assistance, according to Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs. “We only learned about her [Srinivasan’s] departure through media reports,” he said during a weekly press briefing. “Similarly, we’ve seen reports of Mr. Suri’s detention, but neither he nor the U.S. government approached us.”

Suri has reportedly claimed that his arrest was influenced by his wife’s Palestinian heritage. While U.S. authorities have pushed for his deportation, a federal court has temporarily blocked his removal.

The two scholars are among a growing list of individuals facing consequences under a wider federal crackdown on campus activism tied to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly called such protesters “terrorist sympathizers” and has pledged to cut federal funding to universities that allow them to organize on campus. He has also threatened to deport international students involved in such demonstrations.

Amid growing anxiety in academic circles and among international students, the Indian government has reiterated its support for students abroad. “If an Indian student is facing any problem, our consulates and embassy are there to help with their well-being and safety,” Jaiswal assured. He emphasized that India values its expanding educational ties with the U.S., which hosts a significant and growing number of Indian students.

However, Jaiswal also acknowledged that visa and immigration decisions are the sovereign domain of each country. “Just as we expect foreign nationals in India to follow our laws, we expect Indian nationals abroad to respect the laws of their host country,” he added.

The advisory comes as Indian students, particularly those involved in activism, face heightened scrutiny and increasing uncertainty regarding their residency status in the U.S.

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Source: NDTV‍