The US Embassy in India 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.
This comes after a social media video of an Indian student in handcuffs at Newark Airport in New Jersey went viral.
“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.
The video, first captured by a witness and an Indian-American entrepreneur, Kunal Jain, showed the authorities treating the student like a criminal.
The disturbing footage shows the student pinned to the ground as at least four officials held him down, with two of them keeping their knees on his back. They had tied the student's legs and hands.
"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," Mr Jain wrote in a post on X. He also called upon the Indian Embassy in the US to investigate the matter and provide assistance to the student.
A day later, the Indian Embassy in New York addressed the incident, saying they have across social media posts claiming that an Indian national faced difficulties at the Newark Liberty International Airport. "We are in touch with local authorities in this regard. The Consulate remains ever committed for the welfare of Indian Nationals," it said.
This incident takes place against the backdrop of President Donald Trump's strict immigration policies. The Trump administration has taken tough measures such as mass deportations, and recently, used the National Guard for clamping down on the Los Angeles protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
