Who is Jordan Brown? US Citizen Arrested at India-Nepal Border Without Passport

Sashastra Seema Bal personnel arrested US citizen Jordan Brown near the Sonauli India-Nepal border on July 11 as he allegedly tried to cross without valid travel documents. The arrest took place in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district.

Police registered a case against Brown at the Sonauli Police Station under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act. Police officers said he did not have a passport or visa.

Maharajganj Additional Superintendent of Police Siddharth confirmed the detention in a video message, ANI reported. "Yesterday, on July 11, the SSB apprehended an individual near Sonauli for attempting to enter Nepal without authorisation. Upon questioning, he identified himself as Jordan Brown and stated that he is a US citizen from California," Siddharth said. "Since then, he had been residing in Goa. He was attempting to travel to Nepal when the SSB apprehended him. No valid travel documents were found in his possession," he added.

Agencies are independently verifying every claim made by him, including his identity, travel history, previous visits to different countries and the circumstances in which he entered India, a senior police officer said, HT reported.

The Border Interception

Security personnel spotted Brown near Border Pillar No. 516 in the Mainihwa area, under the Bhagwanpur police outpost in the Sonauli Kotwali area, away from the designated immigration route. The Sonauli border is one of the busiest land crossings between India and Nepal, linking Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district with Bhairahawa in Nepal's Rupandehi district.

SSB personnel signalled Brown to stop for verification. Officials stated he tried to flee after being stopped, but he was chased and apprehended. Brown had travelled from Bengaluru to the Sonauli border with the intention of entering Nepal, officials stated. Local villagers helped SSB personnel chase and arrest him.

During a search, the SSB recovered Rs 31,460 in cash and two mobile phones from Brown. It is not known whether the currency was Indian or Nepalese. Separately, HT reported that a mobile phone, Nepalese currency, religious books, an AI translator device, a Chinese passport, a diary, a wristwatch and other belongings were recovered from his possession. Officials stated examination of the items was underway.

Contradictory Travel Claims

During interrogation, Brown allegedly gave contradictory statements about his identity, travel history and the purpose of his visit. SHO Mahendra Mishra said Brown claimed to be a native of California and told investigators he had studied at the University of California and served in the US Navy and Special Forces for six years before leaving military service around two years ago. He also told police officers that both his parents had passed away.

His account of travelling through India kept changing. Brown allegedly claimed he arrived in Goa from the United States around two months ago and stayed there for nearly six weeks before travelling to Bengaluru. From there, he said he boarded a bus to Lucknow on July 8, continued to Gorakhpur, and later hired a taxi to reach the Sonauli border.

In another version, Brown said he had travelled to Thailand on a tourist visa but lost his passport there. He added that he later reached Sri Lanka by sea and then entered India through the sea route on November 2, 2025, residing in Goa since then. He also claimed he entered India after visiting Bali, Indonesia, in May, meaning he had spent nearly two months in India without carrying his passport.

Brown claimed he was trying to enter Nepal to meet a person identified only as "Naz", whom he described as a Nepalese national he had befriended in Goa. He also claimed another acquaintance from Bengaluru was in possession of his passport. However, officials stated he failed to provide complete addresses or verifiable details about either individual. Brown also claimed he had met an Indian woman from Uttarakhand in Italy three years ago and married her in October 2024. Police officers said Brown repeatedly changed his version during questioning. He has since been arrested and sent to jail, while the US Embassy has been informed.

Broader Security Concerns

Security agencies stated Brown's arrest comes amid growing concerns over foreign nationals allegedly entering or moving across India under suspicious circumstances. In March this year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, another US citizen, along with six Ukrainian nationals, after they allegedly infiltrated India from Myanmar through the Mizoram border before being intercepted at airports across the country. Investigators suspect the group functioned as mercenaries and are probing their alleged links with ethnic armed groups operating in India and Myanmar. The case also involves allegations of providing drone training and logistical assistance to insurgent outfits.

Van Dyke, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, recently approached a Delhi court seeking an "American-style diet", claiming he had been unable to consume regular prison food because of its spicy, oily nature. His lawyers informed the court that Van Dyke had been surviving largely on liquids, including soy milk, and requested permission to provide him with food suited to his dietary habits. The court has sought a response from Tihar Jail authorities, with the matter listed for further hearing on July 21.