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DHS Used Fake School to ID Students Without Proper Visas
The Department of Homeland Security set up a fake university in Michigan to snare student immigrants in the United States who were without proper authorization, according to federal indictments unsealed Wednesday.
Eight people were arrested and indicted for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and harboring aliens for profit. The indictment said the defendants helped at least 600 "foreign citizens to illegally remain, re-enter and work in the United States and actively recruited them to enroll in a fraudulent school as part of a 'pay to stay' scheme."
The story was first reported by the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News.
The indictments allege that the defendants "conspired with each other and others to fraudulently facilitate hundreds of foreign nationals in illegally remaining and working in the United States by actively recruiting them to enroll into a metro Detroit private university that, unbeknownst to the conspirators, was operated by HSI (Homeland Security Investigation) special agents as part of an undercover operation" for the past two years.
The University of Farmington website says it "traces its lineage back to the early 1950s ..." It is "approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to enroll international students" and is "accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and licensed by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs as a private post-secondary college." The site remained active Wednesday.
International students in the United States must secure F-1, M-1 or J-1 visas and attend accredited programs and leave the United States within 60 days of the program ending. While the U.S. State Department grants student immigrant visas, the Department of Homeland Security administers them. There are more than 1 million international students in the United States after a dramatic rise in the past decade that looks to be leveling out, according to recent metrics from the Institute for International Education.
Chinese and Indian students comprise half of all international students in the United States.
"We are very excited about welcoming you to the UF community and helping you achieve your academic goals," the website of the University of Farmington states. "You'll find UF to be a vibrant and growing institution where students, faculty and staff enjoy a challenging and collaborative environment."
The eight defendants charged are accused of helping enroll students in exchange for cash, kickbacks, and tuition credits as part of the "pay to stay" scheme, the indictment said.
Six were arrested in metro Detroit, one in Florida, and one in Virginia.
“We are all aware that international students can be a valuable asset to our country, but as this case shows, the well-intended international student visa program can also be exploited and abused,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider in a statement reported by the Free Press.
The indictments say the operation allowed students to stay in the United States without proper visas. The U.S. government alleges the students who enrolled "knew that they would not attend any actual classes, earn credits or make academic progress towards an actual degree," read an indictment.
“Homeland Security Investigations special agents uncovered a nationwide network that grossly exploited U.S. immigration laws," said Special Agent in Charge Steve Francis, who heads Detroit office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the newspaper reported.
“These suspects aided hundreds of foreign nationals to remain in the United States illegally by helping to portray them as students, which they most certainly were not. HSI remains vigilant to ensure the integrity of U.S. immigration laws and will continue to investigate this and other transnational crimes."
Charged in the indictments were:
Barath Kakireddy, 29, of Lake Mary, FL
Suresh Kandala, 31, of Culpeper, VA
Phanideep Karnati, 35, of Louisville, KY
Prem Rampeesa, 26, of Charlotte, NC
Santosh Sama, 28, of Fremont, CA
Avinash Thakkallapally, 28, of Harrisburg, PA
Aswanth Nune, 26, of Atlanta, GA.
Naveen Prathipati, 26, of Dallas, TX
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Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges, including Columbia and Berkeley
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.
It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.
In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.
Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.
"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.
The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.
An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."
House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."
Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.
Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.
The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.
"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."
- By VOA News
STEM, business top subjects for international students
The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.
STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)
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Safety and visa difficulties among misconceptions about US colleges
U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.
Read the full story here. (January 2025)
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Work opportunities help draw international students to US schools
US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)
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British student talks about her culture shock in Ohio
A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.
Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.
Read the full story here. (December 2024)
