Indian creator says New York no longer feels safe, leaves US over racism

Rajgarhia’s account reflects a broader unease among young immigrants in major US cities.

A growing number of overseas reports now highlight the case of Indian-born creator Tanvi Jhansi Rajgarhia who has left the US after describing her life in New York as unsafe and exhausting. According to her own Instagram video and subsequent interviews, she faced racist threats, doxxing, and the constant fear of deportation despite living legally on an artist visa. She wrote that her identity made her a target and that she ultimately chose to return to India “at least I’ll be happy and not feel like a criminal for just existing”.

Harassment, visibility and visa anxiety

Rajgarhia’s account reflects a broader unease among young immigrants in major US cities. In a video message she described how her political-comedy content on American affairs drew admiration but also a wave of harassment from audiences who seemed to see her merely as an outsider or intruder. She reported threats, sketchy messages, and a sense of being watched by authorities even though she had valid legal status.

Abuse that followed her online

The sense of vulnerability was magnified by online harassment. Rajgarhia detailed episodes where her social-media accounts were targeted, her location exposed, and scary messages sent to her inbox. She said that rather than address the harassment she felt, it became easier to walk away from the US and rebuild her life elsewhere.

A climate check for immigrant safety

Her departure comes amid a backdrop of rising concern among immigrant communities about safety, belonging and representation in the US. While many still consider America a land of opportunity, Rajgarhia’s story underlines the gap between ideal and reality. Some observers say that harassment and racism experienced by immigrants often go unreported, especially when individuals are young, visible on social media, and working in creative or public-facing roles.

Leaving to live, not to survive

For Rajgarhia the decision to leave was not just painful but practical. She stated that staying in the US had come to feel like constant survival rather than living. That she chose India as her next home is significant; it suggests a country she had once left to pursue opportunity now feels like a safer, more welcoming space. Her story resonates as a warning: if New York and other global cities cannot provide a sense of safety and belonging for immigrant creators, the cost is not just personal, it may signal shifting patterns in global talent migration.

One story, bigger questions

Rajgarhia’s experience doesn’t represent all immigrants but it amplifies a voice rarely heard. Her choice to speak openly about fear, racism and disengagement from a city many still regard as dream territory adds weight to calls for better protections and social-justice frameworks in American cities.