An Indian student was recently kicked out of an airport for giving an honest answer that he had no idea would be illegal in the United States. Malavika Nandivelugu, an immigration attorney in San Jose, posted on social media the experience of an Indian student who had no record of a DUI or any evidence of illegal employment. But when he was asked if he had ever smoked marijuana, he said yes. “Many of you don’t fully understand: State-level legality means nothing in an immigration context. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law. As an F-1 student, admitting to marijuana use — even casually, even once — can ruin your immigration status,” the attorney said. He explained that the incident had nothing to do with the immigration crackdown and that it was nothing new. Students are also told this during orientation, but most miss this because they are not paying attention. “It’s not about ethics. It’s about consequences. He didn’t lie. He had no intention of breaking the rules. He just didn’t know the weight of what he was saying. And that lack of awareness cost him everything,” Nandivelugu said.“I saw parents of students living a nightmare back home because their children in the United States were addicted to recreational drugs, wasting time, money, and ultimately their futures,” the lawyer said. Although many states have legalized marijuana, it remains illegal under U.S. federal law (the Controlled Substances Act). Immigration is governed by federal law, not state law.Prince Harry has also faced drug-related controversy after he publicly admitted in his memoir “Spare” that he smoked marijuana, cocaine and LSD, even though his U.S. visa application specifically asked about past drug use. But after a long legal battle, he was not deported from the United States.