Indian student handcuffed at US airport, video sparks outrage
An Indian student was handcuffed and brutally pinned to the ground by officials at the Newark airport then deported, according to social media video.
Wion – World News
- A person was detained at Newark Airport, prompting the U.S. Embassy in India to reiterate that visiting the U.S. is a privilege, not a right.
- A witness recorded the incident and shared it on social media, alleging the detainee, possibly an Indian student, was treated harshly.
- The Consulate General of India in New York is investigating the situation and is in contact with local authorities.
The U.S. Embassy in India is reminding travelers that visiting the U.S. is not a right, days after images surfaced of a person being pinned to the ground at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport.
“The United States continues to welcome legitimate travelers to our country. However, there is no right to visit the United States,” the embassy posted across social media platforms on Tuesday. “We cannot and will not tolerate illegal entry, abuse of visas, or the violation of U.S. law.”
While the statement wasn’t tied to a particular incident, it comes on the heels of video shared by Kunal Jain, a longtime U.S. resident and self-described Indo-American social entrepreneur who moved back to India last year, according to his profile on X, formerly Twitter.
“I witnessed a young Indian student being deported from Newark Airport last night— handcuffed, crying, treated like a criminal. He came chasing dreams, not causing harm,” Jain posted on X on Sunday, along with videos and photos that have amassed more than 1.7 million views.
In interviews with India’s NewsX and NDTV, Jain said he was preparing to board a United Airlines flight to New Delhi, when he spotted the person in custody.
“Initially that boy was sitting on the chair, but then later on what he started doing is he started (hitting) his head to the wall, and that’s when I think these authorities realized that he may hurt himself or he may do something crazy,” Jain told NewsX. “They have pinned him down on the floor and they sit on him, and that’s when he started yelling and screaming.”
Jain added that authorities wanted to board the person on the plane, but the pilot said, “No, I cannot allow as of this moment because he’s violent and he could be a threat to the existing passengers.” Jain added that he and a doctor offered to speak to the person in Hindi, but were not allowed.
He doesn’t know what happened next, but he and others on social media have called on the Indian government to step in and bring the person “home.”
On Monday, the Consulate General of India, New York shared on X, “We have come across social media posts claiming that an Indian national is facing difficulties at Newark Liberty International Airport. We are in touch with local authorities in this regard. The Consulate remains ever committed for the welfare of Indian Nationals.”
A State Department official said they’ve also seen the reports but don’t have any additional information and referred USA TODAY to local authorities. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the airport, referred USA TODAY to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has not yet replied.
While it’s unclear if the person in custody was a student, the Trump administration has been cracking down on international students and on entering the U.S. in general. Additionally, President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban, which took effect Monday, bans or heavily restricts travel to U.S. by foreign nationals from nearly 20 countries – though India is not one of them.
“They don’t want any foreigners unauthorized illegal foreigners to come into the country and take the advantage of the resources,” Jain told NDTV, calling that a “great policy.” However, he added that even with foreign students legally allowed in the country, “They are becoming more and more watchful, and every act is being monitored.”
Jain has said he isn’t trying to get into politics or legal matters, but wants to see justice and human dignity.
