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Australian man partially handcuffed at Las Vegas airport, arrested next day at LAX

Jul 17, 2026 · Las Vegas, NV, Australia

Australian man partially handcuffed at Las Vegas airport, arrested next day at LAX

Phu Nguyen, a 57-year-old Australian citizen born in Vietnam, was confronted by plainclothes ICE agents at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on July 13, 2026. Video footage shows agents holding him on the ground and attempting to handcuff him while he was in Terminal 3. When onlookers and a TSA officer intervened, the agents walked away, leaving him with a handcuff attached to one wrist. Las Vegas police officers arrived and removed the handcuff after determining there were no outstanding warrants against him. According to DHS, Nguyen's valid two-year visa had expired in 2015. ICE arrested him the following day at Los Angeles International Airport, and he is currently held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center pending removal proceedings.

Timeline

Jul 17, 2026Nguyen held at Adelanto ICE Processing Center pending removal proceedings
Jul 14, 2026ICE arrested Nguyen at Los Angeles International Airport
Jul 13, 2026Plainclothes ICE agents attempted to detain Nguyen at Terminal 3 of Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas; bystanders and TSA officer intervened; agents departed leaving handcuff on his wrist; Las Vegas police removed handcuff and found no outstanding warrants

Sources

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