Amid growing uncertainty for H-1B workers in the United States, a post on X describing the alleged ordeal of an Indian technology professional has gone viral. The user who shared the account termed it a “wild story”, claiming the employee of a large Indian IT company was humiliated before being forced to return to India. The authenticity of the account remains unverified, and the timing of the incident is unclear.
According to the post, the tech professional, who was onsite in the US for a project, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and given two hours to pack his belongings. He was allegedly presented with two options: face jail or accept deportation. He chose deportation.
The post further claimed that the individual was escorted by officers and handed over to airport authorities, who were instructed to ensure he boarded a flight to India and did not attempt to exit during transit in Frankfurt. It alleged that a public announcement was made onboard the aircraft stating that he would not be permitted to leave his seat during the stopover.
The account said the same treatment continued in Frankfurt, where he was again escorted onto the Bengaluru-bound flight and allegedly subjected to another public announcement instructing him not to leave his seat until take-off. The post added that company lawyers were present at the airport to receive him on arrival in India.
The user claimed the individual is deeply distressed, is undergoing counselling provided by the company, and that the employer is considering legal action against ICE officials. The post concluded by suggesting that such incidents could become more common for Indian executives in the US on H-1B visas.
Social media users reacted with scepticism. Several questioned how such action could be taken if the individual held valid documentation. Others dismissed the story as implausible, suggesting that such measures would typically occur only in cases of visa violations, misrepresentation, or illegal employment. Some users speculated that the individual may have been working on a B1/B2 visa, which does not permit hands-on technical work such as coding, a practice they claimed some companies have followed despite restrictions.
