Australian man partially handcuffed at Las Vegas airport, arrested next day at LAX
Jul 17, 2026·Location: Las Vegas, NV
Country of origin: Australia

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
Sources
- Plainclothes ICE agents left man partially handcuffed at Las Vegas airport after being confronted by onlookers, video shows
CNN·Jul 17, 2026·archived copy
- ICE arrests at US airports are happening more frequently, attorneys say. Here’s what we know
CNN·Jul 28, 2026·archived copy
- Houston airport detention highlights rise in ICE arrests at airports
click2houston.com·Aug 5, 2026·archived copy
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