Home
+
Published : 21 Apr 2026, 06:29 PM
Spending months in detention amid “brutal conditions”, a 24-year-old Bangladeshi student has self-deported from the US after a “prolonged and emotionally taxing” immigration process, according to Newsweek.
Joytu Chowdhury, a former student at Illinois Wesleyan University majoring in finance with a minor in computer science, said he self-deported on Feb 26 following the detention that he described as "inhumane".
Federal officials, however, argue that they provided him with “standard enforcement procedures and appropriate care” while in custody.
Back home, he is staying with his family in Chattogram and is trying to “rebuild” his life.
His wife is still in the US.
He, however, continues to hope to return to the US through proper legal channels.
His family is raising money for legal expenses on GoFundMe.
Joytu entered the US with an F-1 student visa in December 2021, the weekly says.
He told the magazine that alongside pursuing his studies, he was continuing legal immigration processes, including potential permanent residency options.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested him on Dec 3 in Illinois' Bloomington-Normal area as he was driving to pick up his younger brother from a train station.
Joytu recalled that “multiple unmarked vehicles” followed him before the raid.
"In August 2025, his student visa status was terminated,” a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was quoted as saying.
His criminal history includes convictions for driving under the influence and retail theft, the spokesperson added.
The student, however, admitted that his visa status was terminated due to transferring between schools, which led to a temporary lapse in maintaining the SEVIS [federal government database for international students' visa status and school enrollment] record.
“I was working to resolve this and return to compliance," he said.
The ICE has arrested thousands of people, often in public places, since January 2025, prompting numerous clashes with protesters and several shootings.
In line with a key electoral pledge, Donald Trump has significantly expanded ICE, its budget and its mission since returning to the White House.
As of Jan 20, nearly 300 Bangladeshis have been deported from the US since the start of 2025 as the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal migration intensified.
Speaking of his previous convictions, Joytu told Newsweek: "I take full responsibility for my actions, and I deeply regret those decisions.
He, nevertheless, claimed that those “do not reflect” who he is currently or the direction he is committed to moving in.
“I would also like to respectfully clarify that these matters are still in process and are expected to be resolved/dismissed, so I hope that context can be reflected to ensure an accurate and fair representation," Newsweek quoted him as saying.
He recalled that the day of his arrest "turned into one of the most life-changing and traumatic experiences" of his life as he was not “warned”.
Joytu claimed he was initially taken from Normal, Illinois, to St Louis before being moved to Ste Genevieve County Jail, then to Greene County Jail and later to Chase County Detention Center -- all in Missouri.
He was then transferred to the Broadview ICE Detention Center in Chicago before being redirected to the Clay County ICE detention faciliuty in Indiana.
He was eventually transferred back to the Broadview facility.
The transfers were frequent and often lacked a clear explanation, the Bangladeshi student said, adding that he was held for two days in US Customs and Border Protection custody due to an “administrative error”.
Joytu described conditions inside ICE custody as "extremely difficult" and "inhumane" as he was incarcerated alongside individuals accused or convicted of serious crimes, which he found "terrifying and deeply unsettling."
According to him, the detention centres were overcrowded with “improper and irregular” access to water and food.
He also complained of medical care negligence.
"It didn't feel like a place meant for people waiting on immigration cases. It felt like punishment," he told the magazine.
Refuting the allegations, the DHS spokesperson said the ICE has higher detention standards than most US prisons and claimed to provide the “best healthcare” to the detainees.
Joytu said the conditions made him decide to leave the country.
"At first, I was determined to fight my case and hold on to the life I had built. I didn't want to give up. But over time, being in that environment took a serious toll on me mentally and emotionally," he was quoted as saying.
"I reached a point where I felt completely broken -- exhausted, overwhelmed and uncertain about everything. Eventually, I gave up and chose to self-deport, not because I wanted to but because I felt like I had no other choice left.”
According to Joytu, the process of arranging his departure was “disorganised and financially burdensome” as he was forced to purchase plane tickets thrice following repeated miscommunication and scheduling failures.
The student alleged he did not receive refunds for the tickets.
The DHS disputed that account, saying he failed the Feb 13 deadline to arrange his own travel for voluntary departure in accordance with policy.
Joyto, according to the DHS, then booked a Feb 20 flight but was denied boarding as he lacked a passport.
"ICE was able to obtain and purchase a ticket for him that did not require a passport for Feb 25, at no cost to himself," the DHS spokesperson told Newsweek.
Joytu’s wife Ashley Yamilet, also a 24-year-old student and server in the US, told Newsweek that she was also affected by the experience.
"This experience with ICE took so much away from me: my family, my sense of stability and the life I had worked so hard to build. It felt like my entire life was put on pause," the magazine quoted her as saying.
"There's a part of me that's still processing it all -- the loss, the separation and the uncertainty that came with it. It's not something you just move on from. It stays with you."
