Pro-Palestine Indian students in US fear deportation

Indian students in the United States are growing increasingly anxious about their immigration status. This fear intensified after the recent detainment of Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, following the revocation of his visa. His arrest highlights the scrutiny faced by Indian scholars involved in pro-Palestine activism. Just days earlier, another student, Ranjani Srinivasan, chose to leave the U.S. after being targeted due to her participation in pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University. She was one of several students whose status has been affected by a crackdown initiated by the previous Trump administration. This included threats to revoke the visas of those seen as supporting Hamas or the October 2023 attacks against Israel. The current climate has led many Indian students to be cautious about expressing their views. Some have started deleting social media posts that could be interpreted as anti-Zionist. Professors are advising students against travel, worried that they might be detained if their visas are revoked. Additionally, students report increased scrutiny at workplaces, with some being stopped for ID checks. The revocations of visas have caused significant distress. Many students feel a loss of safety and support that they previously relied on during the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decline in student visa approvals, with a significant drop from the previous year, adds to the concern for future opportunities. Despite these challenges, students are taking steps to protect themselves, monitoring their social media presence closely. The pervasive fear of being misclassified or flagged adds a layer of pressure to their academic lives, with many feeling that this environment hinders their ability to learn and thrive. Students express a sense of helplessness in the face of rapidly changing immigration policies and growing anti-immigrant sentiments. They urge the government to consider the contributions international students bring to the U.S., emphasizing the need to support rather than penalize them.