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Indian creator leaves U.S. after racist online harassment
The creator said the situation escalated further when attempts were made to dox her by sharing private personal information online.
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Anushka Pathak - Fri, 23, Jan 2026
- 09:42 EST
- 20
Screengrab of the Indian creator’s video / Courtesy: X/@venom1s
An Indian content creator has returned to India after facing sustained racist harassment, threats of violence, and calls for deportation while living in New York City on an artist visa.
The creator, who goes by Tanvi, shared her decision in a video that has now gone viral.
In the video, Tanvi said the abuse began after she started posting comedy and satirical content earlier in 2025 that critiqued U.S. political figures, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden. While her videos initially received positive responses, she said they soon triggered a wave of hostility focused on her identity as a brown immigrant woman.
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“I started getting threats, racist, scary ones, said that they have reported me to ICE,” Tanvi said. She said users tagged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in her posts, demanded that she be deported, and sent direct threats of physical harm.
Tanvi said the situation escalated further when attempts were made to dox her by sharing private personal information online, which she described as the point at which she decided to leave the country. She said that although she was in the U.S. legally, the constant targeting made her feel unsafe.
Describing her disappointment, Tanvi said, “The America I loved and admired is no longer the same,” adding that “just existing felt criminal” amid the sustained fear and hostility. She said the abuse frequently centered on her race and immigrant background, making it difficult to continue living and working in the U.S.
Tanvi said that returning to India offered at least a sense of personal safety and emotional stability, even if it came with professional trade-offs.
The video was shared on X by another user with a caption stating that she was “forced to leave the US after making jokes about American politicians.” The post drew largely critical reactions from Indian users, with many accusing her of seeking attention, exaggerating her experience, or mocking her appearance and ethnicity. Few visible replies expressed support.
An Indian woman says she was forced to leave the US after making jokes about American politicians.
— ︎ ︎venom (@venom1s) January 23, 2026
She received racist comments, physical threats, and was mocked for being 4'11" and brown.
She says the America she once loved and admired is no longer the same. pic.twitter.com/8od4CFYI7x
The episode comes amid reports of rising anti-Indian and anti-South Asian sentiment in the United States since the 2024 presidential election. Advocacy groups, including Stop AAPI Hate, have documented sharp increases in online slurs, threats, and harassment targeting South Asians, often linked to immigration rhetoric, visa debates, and amplified extremist content on social media.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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