"He was accompagnied by a 55 year old man of Indian/Pakistani appearence who helped the kid get on the plane despite the fact the kid DID NOT HAVE A PASSPORT. Apparently a manager at the airport allowed this to happen."

Actually the Michigan couple who saw this man said only that he was a well dressed older man who asked to get the younger man on board without a passport. The agent referred him to a manager.
23 is hardly a kid. So far, I have seen no official confirmation of their story. They may have mistaken someone else, given the circumstances. It can't be difficult to confirm whether or not he had a passport. Wouldn't he have needed it to get through US Customs?