Indian-American politician Kshama Sawant has alleged that her India visa application was rejected three times, while her husband was granted an emergency visa to visit her ailing mother.
Sawant, who served on the Seattle City Council from 2014 to 2023, shared her experience in a series of posts on X.
"My husband & I are in Seattle Indian consulate. They granted him emergency visa for my mother being very sick. But rejected mine, literally saying my name is on a 'reject list'. And refusing to give explanation why," she wrote.
Sawant and members of Workers Strike Back, an organization she is associated with, staged a peaceful protest at the consulate, demanding an explanation. She claimed officials threatened to call the police when she refused to leave.
Consulate responds, calls protest ‘unauthorized’
The Indian consulate in Seattle later issued a statement on X, calling it a law and order situation caused by an unauthorised entry after office hours.
"Despite repeated requests, these individuals refused to leave the Consulate premises and engaged in aggressive and threatening behaviour with the Consulate staff," the statement read.
The consulate confirmed that local authorities were called and that further action would be taken against the trespassers.
Who is Kshama Sawant?
Born in Pune, India, Sawant is a socialist activist and former leader of the Socialist Alternative party in the U.S. She played a key role in pushing Seattle’s minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Speaking about her political views in an old interview with Hindustan Times, she said, “I started thinking about Marxism from a very young age. Growing up in India, I saw a stark division—most people live in utter poverty, a struggling middle class, and the obscenely rich at the top.”
Sawant continues to advocate for worker rights and economic justice, but her visa rejection has now put her at odds with the Indian government.