A video shows 57-year-old Phu Nguyen being wrestled to the ground. (Photo: X)A dramatic confrontation involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and a man identified as an Australian citizen unfolded at Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport, after bystanders disrupted an initial attempt to detain him.The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, shows 57-year-old Phu Nguyen being wrestled to the ground and handcuffed by two plain-clothes officers wearing surgical masks.During the scuffle, Nguyen can be heard shouting, "I don't know what they're doing," while asking to be released.Crowd interrupts airport detentionAccording to footage posted online by filmmaker Chris Motley, the confrontation began after he heard cries for help while walking through the airport terminal. As a crowd gathered around the scene, an airport security officer stood between Nguyen and the growing number of onlookers.The officers eventually walked away, leaving Nguyen with one hand still cuffed. Motley later said police arrived at the scene, but Nguyen remained partially handcuffed for more than an hour before being medically examined and allowed to board his scheduled flight.ICE says man overstayed visaThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later confirmed that ICE officers had carried out the attempted arrest.According to the agency, Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam and is an Australian citizen, entered the United States legally on a visa in May 2013 but failed to leave after his authorised stay expired in May 2015.ICE alleged that bystanders interfered with officers during the airport operation, describing them as "anti-ICE agitators" who attempted to help Nguyen evade arrest.Arrested after landing in Los AngelesAuthorities said Nguyen was taken into custody the following day after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport. He is now being held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Centre in California while removal proceedings continue.DHS said Nguyen would receive full due process under US immigration law as his deportation case moves forward.Australia seeks informationAustralia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said it was making urgent inquiries following reports that an Australian citizen had been detained in the United States.The department noted that while it can provide consular assistance to Australian nationals overseas, it cannot intervene in another country's legal or immigration processes.Political backlash over ICE tacticsThe incident has also sparked political criticism in the United States. Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen condemned what she described as a "violent attempted arrest of an elderly man," questioning why the officers were in plain clothes and lacked visible identification or body cameras.She argued that such operations were creating fear in local communities and could damage tourism.The confrontation comes amid increasing scrutiny of ICE's enforcement methods, with critics raising concerns over the agency's expanding operations and accountability as immigration crackdowns continue across the United States.