RANJANI SRINIVASAN SELF DEPORTED VIA HOMELAND SECURITY APP

BY SNN.BZ STAFF

The Dangers of Advocacy and Protests: Understanding the Consequences for Foreign Students Involved in the promotion of Terrorist Groups

In recent years, many students have embraced the idea of protesting and marching for various causes, often feeling empowered by the belief that their right to free speech protects everything they do. For some, this even includes advocating for controversial groups, believing that such actions won’t have lasting consequences. However, it’s important to understand that engaging in activities that promote terrorism or advocate violence can have serious legal consequences—especially for foreign students in the United States.

The case of Ranjani Srinivasan, a former PhD candidate at Columbia University, serves as a cautionary tale for students, whether they are born in the U.S. or are international students. Srinivasan became embroiled in legal issues after participating in pro-Palestinian protests. She received court summonses for obstructing traffic and refusing to disperse, and although these charges were eventually dismissed, her failure to disclose them during her visa renewal process led to her visa being revoked. Her story illustrates a larger issue that many students may not fully understand: participating in protests or advocating for groups that the U.S. government deems terrorist organizations, such as Hamas, MS-13, or Tren de Aragua, can lead to serious legal consequences, even for those who think their actions are simply forms of free speech.

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Many students, particularly foreign nationals, fail to realize that the government has increasingly sophisticated means of tracking and identifying individuals involved in protests and other public demonstrations. Thanks to advanced facial recognition technology and other surveillance tools, authorities are able to monitor these activities more closely than ever before. Even if a student wears a mask or changes their appearance, their actions can still be recorded and connected to their identity. This means that participating in protests and advocating for groups that the government classifies as terrorist organizations is not as anonymous as many assume. Homeland Security is actively monitoring these events and can trace individuals’ involvement through multiple sources, including social media, facial recognition, and event footage.

For foreign students, the consequences can be particularly severe. If a student is found to have participated in protests supporting terrorist groups, the U.S. government may move swiftly to revoke their visa, as was the case with Srinivasan. In some cases, these students may be forced to self-deport—voluntarily leaving the country before they are detained and deported. By choosing to leave voluntarily, students can often bypass the long waiting period in detention centers that typically precedes formal deportation. This gives them a quicker path to resolving their legal issues, but it does not guarantee that they will ever be allowed to return.

For those who are concerned about their status and want to protect their right to re-enter the U.S. legally, there are resources available to help. One such resource is the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home app. This app helps individuals track their immigration status, file necessary documents, and stay updated on their legal status within the U.S. By using this app, students can ensure that their return to the U.S. is through the proper legal channels, and they can avoid issues related to unauthorized entry or overstaying their visa.

However, it’s essential to understand that no status—whether student visa, work visa, or any other—will allow someone to stay in the U.S. if they have participated in or supported terrorist activities, regardless of the group or movement in question. While marching and protesting may seem like harmless activities for many students, it’s crucial to be aware that advocating for violence or terrorism crosses a line that cannot be overlooked by the authorities.

Too many students, especially those who are foreign-born, make the mistake of thinking that they can act out against the government or certain policies without consequences. They may feel that their actions are protected under the banner of free speech. Unfortunately, that is not the case when it comes to advocating for groups that engage in or promote acts of terrorism. The government has been aware of these actions for some time, and the consequences for foreign students can be swift and severe. In the end, students should be mindful of the potential risks associated with participating in such movements, as it could jeopardize not only their academic future but their ability to live and work in the United States at all.

Recently, Rumeysa Ozturk, Badar Khan Suri, Too many students, especially those who are foreign-born, make the mistake of thinking that they can act out against the government or certain policies without consequences. They may feel that their actions are protected under the banner of free speech. Unfortunately, that is not the case when it comes to advocating for groups that engage in or promote acts of terrorism. The government has been aware of these actions for some time, and the consequences for foreign students can be swift and severe. In the end, students should be mindful of the potential risks associated with participating in such movements, as it could jeopardize not only their academic future but their ability to live and work in the United States at all.

Recently, Rumeysa Ozturk, Badar Khan Suri, Too many students, especially those who are foreign-born, make the mistake of thinking that they can act out against the government or certain policies without consequences. They may feel that their actions are protected under the banner of free speech. Unfortunately, that is not the case when it comes to advocating for groups that engage in or promote acts of terrorism.

The government has been aware of these actions for some time, and the consequences for foreign students can be swift and severe. In the end, students should be mindful of the potential risks associated with participating in such movements, as it could jeopardize not only their academic future but their ability to live and work in the United States at all.

Recently, Rumeysa Ozturk, Badar Khan Suri, Yunseo Chung, Ranjani Srinivasan, Mahmoud Khalil and many others had convinced themselves that marching through the streets of the United States hailing terrorism was a perfectly respectable activity protected by the United States “Freedom of Speech.”

These students should have been applying themselves to their studies and not to political activities they know full well that if they did in their own countries what they were doing here (advocating for Hamas and other terrorists), their own countries would not tolerate it.

And let us think this through reasonably. Columbia University had to choose between $400 Million Dollars and Ranjani Srinivasan’s right to stay in the United States after irrefutable proof that she had been protesting on behalf of Hamas. It is extremely arrogant of Srinivasan or any student, to think that an institution is going to give up that large a sum on a student’s behalf.

Instead of expressing gratitude for their education in their host country, these students have chosen to participate in the political advocacy of terrorists. That’s highly unreasonable.