India's Advice To Students In US As Trump's Deportation Policy Gains Pace

The Indian government has advised its citizens studying in the US to comply with American laws after a researcher was arrested and another student had to self-deport to Canada.

Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, has been accused by US authorities of spreading "Hamas propaganda" while Columbia University student Ranjini Srinivasan's visa was revoked for participating in pro-Palestine protests.

The two Indians did not contact the Indian embassies in the US for assistance, said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the External Affairs Ministry.

Mr Suri and Ms Srinivasan are among the latest academics targeted in the US crackdown on pro-Palestine campus protests. President Donald Trump, who has termed such individuals "terrorist sympathizers", has threatened to cut university funding and deport such students.

Trump's policy has shaken the academic world and students now fear losing their residency permit. US authorities insist on deporting Mr Suri, who has claimed that his wife's Palestinian roots led to his arrest, but a court recently blocked his removal from the country.

Read: The Alleged Hamas Link That Landed Indian Researcher In Trouble In US

Ms Srinivasan, however, did not take any chance. She left for Canada after her US visa was revoked for allegedly "advocating for violence and terrorism" and her alleged involvement in activities supporting Hamas, a Palestinian group banned by the US and Israel. The doctoral student at Columbia University used the Customs and Border Protection Home app to self-deport to Canada on March 11.

Visa and immigration matters lie within a country's sovereign functions, Mr Jaiswal said on Friday, suggesting that the US has the right to decide such internal matters.

"We expect that when we have foreign nationals coming to India, they abide by our laws and regulations. Similarly, we expect that when Indian nationals are abroad, they must also comply with local laws and regulations," he added.

Speaking at the weekly briefing, he also assured the students that Indian consulates and embassies in the US would help them if they faced any difficulty.

Read: How Ranjani Srinivasan Fled From US Amid Immigration Crackdown

Mr Jaiswal said that he had seen media reports on Mr Suri's detention, but "neither the US government nor this individual approached us or the embassy."

The Indian side was also not aware of Ms Srinivasan contacting any Indian consulate for help, said Mr Jaiswal. "We only came to know of her departure from the US from media reports. We understand that she has gone to Canada," added the MEA spokesperson.

He said a large and growing number of Indians are studying in American universities and the government wants to bolster the educational ties with the US.

"If an Indian student is facing any problem, the consulate or the embassy is there to help them with their well-being (and) safety. We would continue if there is any Indian student who would like a helping hand. Our Consulate and our Government, the Embassy is there to help them out," he added.