A video of disturbing incident at Newark Liberty International Airport has gone viral on social media, showing an Indian student being handcuffed, pinned to the floor, and deported by U.S. authorities. It was shared by Indian-American entrepreneur Kunal Jain, who stated that the treatment as inhumane and called on the Indian Embassy in the United States to intervene.

According to Jain, who witnessed the event firsthand, the young man appeared to be in distress and was crying as Port Authority Police officers restrained him. The student was later deported, sparking outrage among members of the Indian diaspora.

“Treated like a criminal”

Kunal Jain, expressed deep concern over the student’s treatment, calling it a “human tragedy.” He wrote, “I witnessed a young Indian student being deported from Newark Airport last night — handcuffed, crying, treated like a criminal.” “As an NRI, I felt helpless and heartbroken,” Jain posted on X. Photographs and video clips shared by Jain show the student being restrained by officers from the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD), the agency responsible for law enforcement across major transport hubs in New York and New Jersey.

In the following posts, he claimed that similar deportations of Indian nationals have been occurring frequently in recent weeks, particularly involving students or young visitors who are unable to clearly explain their purpose of travel to immigration officials.

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“These children get their visas and board a flight in the morning. For some reason, they are unable to explain the reason for their visit to immigration authorities and are sent back on the evening flight, tied up like criminals,” Jain wrote. “Every day 3-4 such cases are happening.”

Deportation of Indian nationals from the US

More than 1,000 Indian nationals have either returned voluntarily or been deported from the United States since January, according to a recent statement by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The development comes amid a renewed immigration crackdown by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has made undocumented migration a key issue in his campaign. Trump, commenting on the situation earlier, said he believed India “will do what’s right” regarding the deportation of illegal migrants. In one of the most high-profile incidents this year, over 100 Indian nationals were deported in February aboard a U.S. military aircraft, with reports suggesting some of them were shackled during the journey. In total, U.S. authorities have reportedly identified around 18,000 Indian nationals suspected of entering the country illegally. The rising number of deportations has sparked concern within India and among the Indian diaspora, with calls for greater diplomatic engagement and safeguards for Indian citizens abroad.