A disturbing video from Newark Airport in the US has gone viral, showing an Indian student being handcuffed, pinned to the ground, and deported back to India. The visuals were shared by social entrepreneur Kunal Jain, who was present during the incident and posted a firsthand account on social media platform X.
“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. As an NRI, I felt helpless and heartbroken. This is a human tragedy,” Jain wrote, sparking outrage and concern online.
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. As an NRI, I felt helpless and heartbroken. This is a human tragedy. @IndianEmbassyUS #immigrationraids pic.twitter.com/0cINhd0xU1
— Kunal Jain (@SONOFINDIA) June 8, 2025
Student Allegedly Branded ‘Crazy’, Deported Without Clarity
According to Jain, the student was speaking in Haryanvi and was visibly distressed, repeatedly telling officials that he wasn’t mentally unstable, but that authorities were trying to portray him as such. Jain said the young man appeared disoriented and overwhelmed, with no clear explanation provided for his detention and deportation.
“These children get their visas and get on a flight in the morning. For some reason, they are unable to explain the reason for their visit to the immigration authorities and are sent back in the evening flight tied up like criminals. Every day 3-4 such cases are happening. There have been more such cases in the last few days,” he added.
This poor kids parent won’t know what’s happening to him. @IndianEmbassyUS @DrSJaishankar he was to be boarded last night in the same flight with me but he never got boarded. Someone needs to find out what’s going on with him at New Jersey authorities. I found him disoriented. pic.twitter.com/kpMiy9Trsp
— Kunal Jain (@SONOFINDIA) June 8, 2025
Call for Action from Indian Embassy and S Jaishankar
Jain has publicly appealed to the Indian Embassy in the US and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging them to take immediate notice of the incident and investigate the treatment of Indian students at American airports.
“Someone needs to find out what’s going on with him at New Jersey authorities. I found him disoriented,” Jain posted, highlighting the emotional and psychological trauma students are enduring in these situations.
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The incident comes amid an escalating US crackdown on international student visa holders. In recent months, several students—particularly from India—have been deported without prior notice, often for unclear or inconsistent reasons ranging from paperwork issues to protest participation or even minor traffic violations.
According to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry/Exit Overstay Report, F-category visa overstays rose to 3.5% in FY 2023. While India remains one of the top 10 countries with the highest student visa overstay rates, there are no direct surveys that fully capture the scale of the issue affecting Indian students specifically.
Over 1,500 Indian Deportations in FY 2024
One of the most concerning revelations comes from estimates that over 1,500 Indian nationals were deported from the United States in fiscal year 2024, underscoring a growing trend that has sparked fear within the Indian student community and among Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
With multiple videos and reports surfacing almost daily, the treatment of Indian students by US immigration authorities is now under intense scrutiny, prompting urgent calls for diplomatic intervention and policy review.
