‘Won't tolerate illegal entry, visa abuse': US' BIG warning to Indians amid viral video of handcuffed student
The US Embassy in India on Tuesday said that while the country welcomes 'legitimate' travellers, it will not tolerate 'illegal entry and abuse of visas'.
In a post shared on X, the Embassy said, 'The United States continues to welcome legitimate travelers to our country. However, there is no right to visit the United States. We cannot and will not tolerate illegal entry, abuse of visas, or the violation of US law.'
The Embassy's statement comes a day after a shocking video of an Indian student, pinned to the floor at an US airport before being deported, vent viral on social media.
The person who posted the video, Kunal Jain, who is also a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) alumni, claimed that the student was 'treated like a criminal.' As per his post, the harrowing scene unfolded at Newark Airport, New Jersey. Tagging the Indian Embassy and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Jain made an urgent appeal for intervention.
"I witnessed a young Indian student being deported from Newark Airport last night—handcuffed, crying, treated like a criminal," Jain wrote. "He came chasing dreams, not causing harm. As an NRI, I felt helpless and heartbroken. This is a human tragedy."
The Consulate General of India in New York said it is in touch with local authorities after the video surfaced online showing the young Indian man being handcuffed and allegedly being deported.
"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 Indian Consulate said in a post on X.
As per the Ministry of External Affairs, Donald Trump's administration, since assuming power in January 2025, has deported as many as 1,080 Indian nationals from America.
Among the students, was also Ranjani Srinivasan, a 37-year-old Indian PhD student from Columbia University, who self-deported to Canada after her student visa was revoked for allegedly being a "terror sympathiser."
Another student, Badar Khan Suri, an Indian researcher pursuing conflict studies at Georgetown University, was detained on March 17 after his visa was revoked based on allegations of antisemitic speech and ties to Hamas. Suri denies the claims, stating he's being targeted due to his wife's Palestinian background.
As many as 1.1 million international students, including 3,32 lakh Indians, studied in the US in 2023-24, according to the latest Open Doors report. Open Doors, an annual survey by the Institute of International Education (IIE), provides data on international students in the United States and US students studying abroad
(This is a developing story. Please check back for updates)
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