A video showing immigrants being deported from the United States has gone viral on social media.
In the video, individuals who appear to be undocumented immigrants are shown boarding a plane, their legs shackled and their waists bound by chains connected to their hands.
A man who identified himself as John Modlin, chief of the US border patrol, Tucson Centre, in the clip, said the migrants were being flown back to their country of origin after being processed.
“I would remind anyone thinking about crossing the border illegally between the ports of entry that under title eight, you may face an enhanced expedited removal process, meaning that upon being encountered, you will be promptly placed into immigration proceedings and may be removed instead,” Modlin said in the video.
The patrol officer encouraged people considering migrating to the US to do so legally.
“The first batch of deportation of African illegal migrants chained on both hands and legs,” a caption that accompanied the video which has been circulating on WhatsApp, read.
Some social media users posted the video across X, Instagram, and TikTok.
“Let the youth see this happening in their time so that they will believe that the slave trade story is not fake news,” an X user tweeted on January 28.
“This will stimulate the young African to do the thinkable. Do something to change the narrative.”
The post has gathered over 400 views and 56 comments.
“US Border Patrol is throwing out illegals in record numbers daily,” another X post with over 5000 views said.
On Instagram, an account posted the video to some 56,000 followers, with many of the comments expressing concern over the “swift” deportation of African immigrants.
Another Instagram user shared the video, telling their over 93,000 followers to “be warned”.
VERIFICATION
CableCheck scanned multiple screenshots of the video and conducted a Google reverse image search, revealing that it had been online since 2023.
Modlin shared the video on his page on June 29, 2023, when former US President Joe Biden was still in power.
“The consequences of unlawful entry are real. Do not risk your life by illegally crossing through Arizona’s desert, just to be sent back!” Modlin tweeted.
The video started resurfacing following President Donald Trump’s executive order deporting illegal immigrants from the US.
Hours after Trump was sworn in, claims alleging that over three million Nigerians would be deported, went viral on social media.
CableCheck found the claims to be false.
VERDICT
The viral video showing immigrants being deported from the US is old.
