Bangladeshi student self-deports from US amid 'inhumane' ICE detention: 'I felt completely broken'

A Bangladeshi student's harrowing experience in U.S. immigration detention has come to light, painting a grim picture of the conditions faced by those caught in the system. Joytu Chowdhury, a 24-year-old who arrived in the U.S. on a student visa, has chosen to self-deport rather than endure what he describes as 'inhumane' treatment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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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.

Chowdhury's journey to this point involved a series of challenges, including transferring between universities and facing a DUI and a retail theft charge, which ultimately led to the termination of his student visa. Arrested by ICE in December 2025, he spent two months being transferred between various detention facilities across multiple states.

He recounts the severe toll the detention environment took on his mental and emotional well-being, describing a feeling of being 'completely broken' and left with 'no other choice' but to leave the country. This narrative suggests a systemic pressure designed to wear down detainees until they can no longer fight their cases.

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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.

In contrast, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has dismissed Chowdhury's allegations, asserting that its detention centers provide comprehensive medical facilities and adhere to basic standards. Regarding his return ticket, DHS stated that ICE purchased a ticket for him that did not require a passport, incurring no cost to Chowdhury, thus refuting claims of a lost refund.

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In many ways, it felt like that's what the system pushes people toward—to wear them down until they can't keep fighting anymore.