Video of two Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tackling Phu Nyuyen at Harry Reid International Airport has sparked public outrage and criticism from elected officials in the US.
One video posted on social media showed a man yelling and crying on the ground in Terminal 3 on Monday when a man and a masked woman, both in plain clothes, tried to control, handcuff and detain him.
When the pair realised they were being filmed, they walked away, leaving the man with a handcuff attached to one arm.
Late on Monday afternoon, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police identified the pair as ICE agents.
They found no outstanding warrants on him, removed his handcuffs, and notified ICE.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE officers did not proceed with the arrest of Phu Nguyen, a 57-year-old citizen of Australia who overstayed a visa that expired in 2015, at Las Vegas airport on Monday.
ICE arrested him at his flight departing the Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, "despite attempts by agitators to help him evade ICE officers at Las Vegas airport", the department said.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was making urgent inquiries following reports of an Australian citizen detained in the US.
"The department stands ready to provide consular assistance to any Australian citizen, should it be requested," a spokesperson said.
Nyugen is being held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California, according to US media reports.
The incident again put ICE's aggressive tactics under scrutiny after an immigration officer on Monday killed a driver in a town in Maine.
"ICE is continuing to act with impunity - instilling fear in our communities and scaring tourists, which hurts our tourism economy," Democratic US senator for Nevada Jacky Rosen said following the aborted arrest at Las Vegas airport.
"Enough is enough. ICE must follow the same commonsense guardrails as other law enforcement agencies."
The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Caucus are calling for a full investigation, urging Governor Joe Lombardo to explain the transparency and accountability for federal law enforcement agencies operating in Nevada.
At least seven people have been shot dead during federal immigration enforcement operations since January 2025, when US President Trump launched mass deportations after returning to office following campaign promises of an immigration crackdown.
with AAP and Reuters
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