Indian students went to US with valid visas (Corrected)
By ANIFriday, January 28, 2011
NEW DELHI - As the fate of Indian students duped by an American university in California hangs in the balance, New Delhi hopes US authorities will treat the students well and accommodate them suitably in appropriate academic institutions, as they went for studies with “”"valid student visas”"”.
Hundreds of Indian students, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, are facing the prospect of deportation from the US after the authorities raided and shut down Tri-Valley University in the Silicon Valley on charges of massive immigration fraud.
“We are in touch with the US authorities and our concern is the welfare of the students, I hope they are treated well by the authorities,” top government sources said.
Earlier on Thursday, a group of around 35 students from the banned Tri-Valley University (TVU) met Consul General of San Francisco Sushmita Gongulee Thomas in this regard.
India is seeking the factual position from the US Government on the status of these students and how they can be helped in getting transferred to other colleges to complete their studies.
The students are concerned over media reports that indicate they were a part of the scam.
Many Trans Valley University students, especially those recently admitted or transferred from other accredited universities, say they were unaware of the true nature of the university and had suddenly become victims.
According to a federal complaint filed in a California court last week, the university helped foreign nationals illegally acquire immigration status. The university is said to have 1,555 students. As many as 95 percent of these students are Indian nationals, the complaint said.
Immigration and Custom Enforcement investigations found that while students were admitted to various residential and online courses of the university and on paper lived in California, in reality, they “”"illegally”"” worked in various parts of the country as far as Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
India sends more than one lakh students and is the second largest student community in United States. (ANI)
