An Indian student was forcibly restrained and deported from Newark Airport in New Jersey, USA, an incident that has triggered concern and condemnation on social media. The episode came to light after Indian-American entrepreneur Kunal Jain shared photos and videos of the student being handcuffed and pinned to the floor by officers before being sent back to India.
According to Jain, the student, who appeared visibly distressed and was speaking in Haryanvi, repeatedly insisted he was not mentally unstable. “I could recognise his accent where he was saying ‘I’m not insane, these people are trying to make me look insane’,” Jain posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The social entrepreneur also stated that the man had boarded his flight earlier that day with a valid visa, but was allegedly unable to satisfy immigration officers with his answers upon arrival. As a result, he was deported later the same day. “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 on 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,” Jain wrote.
One of the images shared shows the student being pinned to the ground by an officer wearing a “Port Authority Police” cap, identifying the force as the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) — the largest transit policing body in the U.S., responsible for security at airports, bridges, and other infrastructure in New York and New Jersey.
Incident Sparks Online Outrage
The incident has raised broader concerns amid a spike in deportation cases involving Indian students. Several users on X described a disturbing trend of international students being subjected to extreme enforcement measures upon arrival. “He came chasing dreams, not causing harm. As an NRI, I felt helpless and heartbroken. This is a human tragedy,” wrote Jain, who also serves as President of HealthBots AI.
In another appeal, Jain called on Indian officials to urgently intervene. “This poor kid’s 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,” he added.
The U.S. has recently increased scrutiny of foreign students, reportedly revoking visas in some cases without prior notice. Reasons have ranged from participation in political protests to administrative or legal issues. This tightening of border enforcement has led to confusion and distress, particularly among newly arrived students.
Official figures support this growing concern. In fiscal year 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that F-1 student visa overstays had reached 3.5%. While India remains one of the top countries sending students to the U.S., over 1,500 Indian nationals were deported from the U.S. in 2024 alone, according to government data.
Indian Diaspora Outraged Over US Student Deportation
On social media, members of the Indian diaspora expressed dismay at the treatment of the student. “He was questioned for 5-6 hours… yes he shouldn’t be treated in such manner… but seems they’ve different set of rules,” one user wrote. Another added, “So many deaths of young Indian students are happening in USA while system there have been horribly apathetic.”
As the video continues to circulate online, calls are growing louder for Indian diplomatic missions and the Ministry of External Affairs to investigate and advocate for the rights of Indian students abroad.
