A disturbing video of a crying Indian student being pinned to the ground by US immigration officers has gone viral, sparking outrage over the treatment of Indians being deported from the United States.
The video shows the student, visibly distressed and weeping, as officers restrain him face-down on the tarmac with his hands cuffed behind his back and his feet also shackled. The incident reportedly took place while the student was being deported for illegally entering the US via the Mexico border.
The clip was shared on X by an Indian-American entrepreneur Kunal Jain who recently returned to India. He claimed the incident occurred at Newark Airport.
Jain shared the video calling the treatment “deeply inhumane” and describing the incident as a “human tragedy.” Expressing outrage and helplessness, he said the student was “crying, treated like a criminal,” despite having come to the US “chasing dreams, not causing harm.” He urged the Indian Embassy in the US to intervene and assist the student, tagging both the embassy and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in his appeal.
Identity not yet known
The identity of the student has not been disclosed. US immigration officials maintain that the use of restraints during deportations is part of their standard security protocol.
The incident has led to criticism on social media, with some political leaders in India also expressing anger over the treatment of Indian nationals. This comes amid a surge in Indians attempting to enter the US illegally via Mexico, many of whom have been caught and deported.
Past episode
In February, India expressed outrage over the US deportation of 104 illegal Indian immigrants, who were handcuffed and shackled for a nearly 24-hour flight.
The US Border Patrol (USBP) released a video on X showing deportees being led onto a military transport plane.
“If you cross illegally, you will be removed,” USBP Chief Michael W. Banks declared, calling it the farthest deportation flight yet.
The deportation sparked debates in India, with many questioning the treatment of their citizens and the failure of immigration rackets that continue to exploit desperate job seekers.
