US Issues Travel Warning As India Protests Student’s Deportation From Newark

NEW YORK, NY (IANS) — The Indian government has formally raised concerns with the US Embassy following viral social media videos showing an Indian student being handcuffed and detained at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The incident has triggered widespread outrage among the Indian diaspora.

Entrepreneur Kunal Jain who witnessed the event posted on X that the student was treated “like a criminal” before being deported. “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,” he wrote.

An official at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “We have so far not received any details about the incident or the circumstances under which he was restrained, the flight he had to board or boarded and his final destination. We continue to follow up on the matter.”

The Embassy in Washington and the Consulate General in New York are in contact with US authorities to ascertain the facts, it said.

The US Embassy in India meanwhile has issued a strong advisory to Indians travelling to the United States. In a statement, the embassy noted that Washington “will not tolerate any abuse of visas or illegal entry” into the country.

“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 U.S. law, ” the post on X said.