Indian-origin tech YouTuber ‘MrWhoseTheBoss’ reveals ‘dehumanising’ 26-hour detention in US: ‘They took my clothes off’
During a conversation with gaming and tech outlet Dexerto, London-based Arun Rupesh Maini, better known online as MrWhoseTheBoss, said he was once detained and strip-searched by US border officials while travelling for a major sponsorship deal.
Maini said he spent hours in a holding room while the atmosphere grew increasingly “accusatory.” Eventually, officers escorted him into another room, where he said the situation became frightening. Arun Rupesh Maini, better known online as MrWhoseTheBoss, recently opened up about a disturbing experience he had while travelling to the United States, and it had nothing to do with tech reviews or YouTube videos.
During a conversation with gaming and tech outlet Dexerto, the London-based British-Indian creator said he was once detained and strip-searched by US border officials while travelling for a major sponsorship deal.
Speaking in a segment where he answered “20 questions he’d never been asked before”, Maini recalled receiving a $300,000 offer a few years ago to cover a futuristic stadium project in the US. “I was like buzzing. And I’ve never told anyone this before,” he said.
But things took a turn the moment he landed. According to Maini, immigration officers questioned him at the airport before asking him to step aside. “They said what are you here for? And, they said, ‘come this way’,” he recalled. He added that officials immediately told him he could not use his phone, leaving sponsors and pickup contacts waiting outside without any explanation.
What began as routine questioning soon became far more serious. Maini said he spent hours in a holding room while the atmosphere grew increasingly “accusatory.” Eventually, officers escorted him into another room, where he said the situation became frightening.
“All the guards were armed. They took me into a cell, and they actually took my clothes off and felt around in all sorts of ways. Very violating stuff, let’s just say,” he said.
Although he was later allowed to get dressed again, he remained confined for hours without access to his phone or any way to contact his family. “I remember feeling just like inhuman,” he said emotionally.
Watch the video:
“They took me into a cell..took all my clothes off”
YouTuber MrWhoseTheBoss shared his US Border Control experience pic.twitter.com/VjTQuIje8c— Dexerto (@Dexerto) May 6, 2026
Maini said he was finally released 26 hours later — only to be deported back home. “They didn’t even give me my phone till the flight had taken off. That’s when I was able to text my family,” he shared. He also claimed that ever since the incident, he has been regularly pulled aside for secondary questioning whenever he enters the US because there is now a “black mark” attached to his name.
The revelation quickly spread online, with many social media users expressing shock and sympathy for the YouTuber, who has over 22 million subscribers.
“Bro it’s crazy they can just do this to a person without providing any sensible explanation. Imagine how many people who don’t have a platform this has happened to,” one person wrote.
Others pointed to the emotional toll such experiences can have on travellers. “This is the kind of travel story that makes people anxious. Security matters, but the process should never feel dehumanizing,” one comment read.
Another added, “That sounds like a very intense and uncomfortable experience. Border security checks can be strict, but situations like that are still alarming to hear about.”
Disclaimer: The following account describes a personal experience involving emotional distress and a sensitive legal encounter; it is shared for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice regarding immigration or travel regulations. If you have been affected by similar experiences, please reach out to professional support services or legal counsel.
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