WASHINGTON, D.C. - The US has accused the students arrested in connection with a fake university visa scam of being “aware they were committing a crime” for visas when they enrolled at the institution while lawyers for those charged accused the government of tricking them. The State Department said on Feb 4 in a statement: “All participants in this scheme knew that the University of Farmington had no instructors or classes...
(neither online nor in-person) and were aware they were committing a crime in an attempt to fraudulently remain in the US.”
The US reaction came after India’s External Affairs Ministry issued a demarche to the US embassy in New Delhi asserting that the students “have been duped into enrolling in the ‘university’ (and) should be treated differently from those recruiters who have duped them”.
Lawyers for the accused recruiters in the scam on Feb 4 accused the government of tricking the students into enrolling at the University of Farmington, a fake institution set up by US law enforcement officials in a sting operation to crackdown on visa fraud, according to the Detroit Free Press. Last week, US immigration officials arrested 129 Indian students and eight alleged recruiters involved with the university.
The Free Press said the students were arrested in early morning raids in New Jersey, Atlanta, Houston, Michigan, California, Louisiana, North Carolina and Missouri states. The students had come to the US on legitimte student visas, but did not fulfill the condition of attending universities for the required classes making their continued stay illegal, which would be compounded if they worked. Many of the students enrolled in the university were students who had transferred from other universities, according to media reports. Some of the arrested students have been released from custody on condition that they wear ankle monitors that would allow authorities to monitor their movements electronically. About 600 students who joined the fake university may be at risk of legal action.
The eight Indians, who were arrested for recruiting several hundred students mostly from India, have pleaded “not guilty” before a federal court in Michigan.
One of them Phanideep Karnati, 35, who is on a H-1B visa and lives in Louisville, Kentucky was released on a bond of $10,000 on Feb 4.
Seven others - Barath Kakireddy, Suresh Kandala, Prem Rampeesa, Santosh Sama, Avinash Thakkallapally, Aswanth Nune, and Naveen Prathipati - consented to their continued detention before a judge in the Eastern District of Michigan, where they were produced along with Karnati days after their arrest.
They were arrested from Detroit, Florida and Virginia in a nationwide Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation. John Brusstar, a lawyer for one of the accused recruiters, criticized the sting operation saying “it is unfair for the government to set up something like this to entrap people”, the Free Press reported.
The students face only civil immigration charges while the eight alleged recruiters have been charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud and harbouring aliens for profit and face maximum sentences of five years.
All of them pleaded “not guilty”, Brusstar, said over phone from Michigan.
“It was all choreographed,” Brusstar said.
Brusstar said Karnati was released on a bail because of his good track record.
An information technology engineer on H-1B visa, Mr Karnati came to the US some 10 years ago.
If convicted he and seven others face imprisonment of up to five years.
India has urged the US to release the detained Indian students at the earliest.
The Indian Embassy in Washington has also opened a round-the-clock helpline for assistance and queries related to detention of Indian students by the US authorities, an External Affairs Ministry release said on Saturday.
It said a demarche was issued to the US expressing the need to provide immediate consular access to students. About 30 students have so far been contacted.
“A demarche was made to the Embassy of the United States in New Delhi by the Ministry of External Affairs. Our concern over the dignity and well-being of the detained students and the need for immediate consular access for Indian officials to the detainees was reiterated.
“We underlined that students, who may have been duped into enrolling in the ‘University’, should be treated differently from those recruiters who have duped them. We have urged the US side to share full details and regular updates of the students with the government, to release them from detention at the earliest and not to resort to deportation against their will,” the release said.
The government, it said, continues to closely monitor and take proactive measures to address the situation arising out of detention of Indian students.
The release said that officials posted at India’s mission and consulates have visited several detention centres in the US to extend consular assistance to detained students.
“So far, about 30 Indian students have been contacted by our consular officers. Efforts to contact the remaining Indian students are continuing.”
It said the Indian mission and consulates have been in touch with the representatives of the Indian community and their associations to gather more information about the detainees.
“A 24/7 helpline has been established in our Embassy in Washington D.C. for assistance/queries related to the detention of Indian students. Telephone numbers are +1-202-322-1190 and +1-202-340-2590 and email: [email protected],” the release said.
It said that for those seeking legal help, guidance and assistance is being provided by the Indian mission and consulates and assistance from the Indian community has also been mobilized to provide legal support to those who seek.The release said that the government and the Indian Embassy and consulates attach the highest priority to the welfare of the detained students and will continue to work with the US authorities and other stakeholders to address the issue. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also said in a tweet that the government was mobilising resources and closely working with the US government to address the situation.
The US reaction came after India’s External Affairs Ministry issued a demarche to the US embassy in New Delhi asserting that the students “have been duped into enrolling in the ‘university’ (and) should be treated differently from those recruiters who have duped them”.
Lawyers for the accused recruiters in the scam on Feb 4 accused the government of tricking the students into enrolling at the University of Farmington, a fake institution set up by US law enforcement officials in a sting operation to crackdown on visa fraud, according to the Detroit Free Press. Last week, US immigration officials arrested 129 Indian students and eight alleged recruiters involved with the university.
The Free Press said the students were arrested in early morning raids in New Jersey, Atlanta, Houston, Michigan, California, Louisiana, North Carolina and Missouri states. The students had come to the US on legitimte student visas, but did not fulfill the condition of attending universities for the required classes making their continued stay illegal, which would be compounded if they worked. Many of the students enrolled in the university were students who had transferred from other universities, according to media reports. Some of the arrested students have been released from custody on condition that they wear ankle monitors that would allow authorities to monitor their movements electronically. About 600 students who joined the fake university may be at risk of legal action.
The eight Indians, who were arrested for recruiting several hundred students mostly from India, have pleaded “not guilty” before a federal court in Michigan.
One of them Phanideep Karnati, 35, who is on a H-1B visa and lives in Louisville, Kentucky was released on a bond of $10,000 on Feb 4.
Seven others - Barath Kakireddy, Suresh Kandala, Prem Rampeesa, Santosh Sama, Avinash Thakkallapally, Aswanth Nune, and Naveen Prathipati - consented to their continued detention before a judge in the Eastern District of Michigan, where they were produced along with Karnati days after their arrest.
They were arrested from Detroit, Florida and Virginia in a nationwide Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation. John Brusstar, a lawyer for one of the accused recruiters, criticized the sting operation saying “it is unfair for the government to set up something like this to entrap people”, the Free Press reported.
The students face only civil immigration charges while the eight alleged recruiters have been charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud and harbouring aliens for profit and face maximum sentences of five years.
All of them pleaded “not guilty”, Brusstar, said over phone from Michigan.
“It was all choreographed,” Brusstar said.
Brusstar said Karnati was released on a bail because of his good track record.
An information technology engineer on H-1B visa, Mr Karnati came to the US some 10 years ago.
If convicted he and seven others face imprisonment of up to five years.
India has urged the US to release the detained Indian students at the earliest.
The Indian Embassy in Washington has also opened a round-the-clock helpline for assistance and queries related to detention of Indian students by the US authorities, an External Affairs Ministry release said on Saturday.
It said a demarche was issued to the US expressing the need to provide immediate consular access to students. About 30 students have so far been contacted.
“A demarche was made to the Embassy of the United States in New Delhi by the Ministry of External Affairs. Our concern over the dignity and well-being of the detained students and the need for immediate consular access for Indian officials to the detainees was reiterated.
“We underlined that students, who may have been duped into enrolling in the ‘University’, should be treated differently from those recruiters who have duped them. We have urged the US side to share full details and regular updates of the students with the government, to release them from detention at the earliest and not to resort to deportation against their will,” the release said.
The government, it said, continues to closely monitor and take proactive measures to address the situation arising out of detention of Indian students.
The release said that officials posted at India’s mission and consulates have visited several detention centres in the US to extend consular assistance to detained students.
“So far, about 30 Indian students have been contacted by our consular officers. Efforts to contact the remaining Indian students are continuing.”
It said the Indian mission and consulates have been in touch with the representatives of the Indian community and their associations to gather more information about the detainees.
“A 24/7 helpline has been established in our Embassy in Washington D.C. for assistance/queries related to the detention of Indian students. Telephone numbers are +1-202-322-1190 and +1-202-340-2590 and email: [email protected],” the release said.
It said that for those seeking legal help, guidance and assistance is being provided by the Indian mission and consulates and assistance from the Indian community has also been mobilized to provide legal support to those who seek.The release said that the government and the Indian Embassy and consulates attach the highest priority to the welfare of the detained students and will continue to work with the US authorities and other stakeholders to address the issue. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also said in a tweet that the government was mobilising resources and closely working with the US government to address the situation.
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