Newark (US): A video showing an Indian student being handcuffed and forcibly deported at Newark airport has sparked widespread outrage on social media, highlighting concerns over the treatment of Indian nationals amid intensified deportation drives under the Trump administration.

The incident, captured on video and shared by MIT-educated engineer Kunal Jain, shows airport police making the Indian student kneel on the ground with his hands restrained while being processed for deportation at Newark airport in New Jersey.

"I was waiting to go to India at Newark airport when I witnessed police making an Indian student kneel on the ground with a leash tied to his hands. The student cried out in tears saying he had committed no crime - it was heartbreaking," Jain wrote in his social media post.

Jain, who identified himself as an overseas Indian professional, expressed his helplessness at being unable to assist the student, whom he believed to be from Haryana state.

Deportation Numbers Surge Under Trump
Since President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025, deportation operations have been significantly intensified, with 1,085 Indians sent back to the country as of June. The administration has expanded its focus beyond illegal immigrants to include individuals who have posted content on social media critical of the US or related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The viral video has reignited debate over the treatment of Indian students and professionals in the United States, with many questioning the humanitarian aspects of current deportation procedures.

Call for Government Intervention
In his post, Jain tagged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the US Ambassador, calling for appropriate assistance to Indian students facing deportation.

"It seems Indian students are being forcibly deported without humanity. Parents in India are unlikely to know what's happening to their children in the US. We should prevent Indian students from being treated like criminals," he stated.

The incident comes at a time when US-India relations remain under scrutiny, particularly regarding the treatment of Indian nationals and students in America.