Nalini Ghuman, a world renowned musicologist who specializes in the works of British composer Edward Elgar, had her H-1B visa was revoked last year upon her return to the U.S. to participate in the Bard Music Festival featuring Edward Elgar's work in New York .

Ms. Ghuman, who is a professor at Mills College in Oakland , California , had lived and worked in the U.S. for ten years before her visa was revoked.  After a year, Ms. Ghuman and her attorney are still in the dark as to why her visa was unexpectedly revoked or if she is on a security watch list.

According to Customs and Border Protection, they were ordered to deny entry to Ms. Ghuman since the State Department had revoked her visa.  However, the State Department refused to comment on the case.

On August 8, 2006, Ms. Ghuman was returning to the U.S. from a trip to her native England when armed immigration officers met her at the door of the airplane and escorted her away.  Ms. Ghuman stated that during her interrogation, her H-1B visa, which was valid through May 2008, was torn up and her request to speak to the British consulate was refused.  She was further told that unless she left on a flight to England the same day, she would be transferred to an immigration detention center.

After being told that she was inadmissible to the U.S. , Ms. Ghuman asked why her visa had been cancelled.  However, the immigration officers themselves were unaware of the reason behind the revocation.  One officer told her the revocation was probably a mistake, and that she should apply for a new visa in England .  However, Ms. Ghuman’s new visa application has now been pending for over a year.