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Indian Students Attending A Fake University Setup By the Government Arrested at 4 AM

ICE Raided and Arrested Students Attending  – The University of Farmington, Michigan.

This is like an Action/Thriller Story.

Remember the University of Northern New Jersey?

Quick Summary:

While, the news unraveled from today morning, there were a ton of unanswered questions. Things were not adding up.

  • Some students were arrested at 4 AM Raid.
  • It looked like they were in Day 1 CPT University.
  • Then, I saw the Removal Proceedings (screenshot).
  • Student’s SEVIS was terminated and Student was not on CPT.
  • Did they get I-20 to attend the school? Yes
  • Did the University issue them CPT (Day 1)? Looks like they did as per one person.
  • If Univerity approved Day 1 CPT, why did they terminate SEVIS?
  • Timeline for one student
    • Entered the US on Dec 29, 2018
    • SEVIS Terminated on Jan 29, 2019
    • And ICE shows up the next day to arrest.
    • How is it possible for ICE to track the students down so many students so fast?

More Questions

  • Why were they not studying when they entered the US on F1 Visa?
  • What were those students doing away from the school?
  • How many courses do they have to attend per week or per semester?
  • Was this school under some sort of investigation and it was planned operation?

FAKE University Setup by the Government – a Sting Operation

Now, we know the reasons Source – Detroit News and 8 people have been charged.

“… the university was being used by foreign citizens as a ‘pay to stay’ scheme which allowed these individuals to stay in the United States as a result of of foreign citizens falsely asserting that they were enrolled as full-time students in an approved educational program and that they were making normal progress toward completion of the course of study,” the indictment reads.

The students knew that the university’s program was illegal, according to the indictment.

Do you remember University of Northern New Jersey? 

The University of Farmington looks like an Operation similar to the University of Nortern New Jersey.

 

Update 1:

  • I pinged one of the students in the University of Farmington.  The student said that friends were arrested. And the student can provide additional details shortly.

Update 2: 

  • Potentially 4 students are arrested (not officially confirmed) and one more student is leaving the country for good and that student was not.
  • Agents came at 4 AM

Update 3:

  • Copy of Removal Proceedings given to one of the students (below)

Update 4:

  • These students seem to have transferred into the University of Farmington from a different school and they are not enrolled full time and CPT have been authorized.

Reasons for Removal Stated as follows:

  • You were not pursuing a Full Course of Study or not participating in practical training as an integral part of the curriculum.

ice removal proceedings university of farmington

We may not know all the answers, but do know this.

Don’t mess with US Immigration Law and maintain your Valid Visa Status. 

There were some comments that these students were involved in Day 1 CPT with Practical Training. But, the removal proceedings notes say they were not in school or attending practical training.

In meantime, here are some screenshots and messages from this thread on F1 Visa Facebook Group.

 

 

What Happens to The Arrested Students

With a similar event with the University of Northern New Jersey, students were given the option to transfer to the different school.

But, this time around, looks like these students would go through the removal proceedings from the USA.

This is developing news and stay tuned for more updates.

Do you know anyone from the this University of Farmington that I can talk to learn more? Please reach out via comments below.

I’m sure you all remember the Tri-Valley and Herguan University Raid.

 

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9 Comments

  1. Thanks for publishing this informative article. Do you have any demographic data from which region of India these students are coming from? Do we see any pattern? How these students ended up in a foreign university without any research?

  2. I believe both the US Government and Students who unknowingly attending these Universities are at fault here. The US Government went too far to deliberately create a trap for these students. Why create a Fake University in the first place? Why not enforce your immigration laws on existing Universities? Don’t the government has something better to do than creating a sting operation?
    For Students:
    Why students don’t think before enrolling into these universities? You are paying money to attend college and you should be studying. The ‘pay to stay’ strategy is not worth it in the long-run. It is better to go to your home country and do something better there than making America rich with your money.
    I would say the Government should shut down these sting operations and work hard on improving and enforcing current laws. Also, the students need focus on acquiring education first.

  3. What a waste a chunk of your money and destroy your future. Not only that but now that they are deported or have criminal background in USA, they are very likely to be not allowed to enter other countries like Canada, Australia, and so on.

    1. It’s not criminally charged as Attorney discussed yesterday based on the removal proceedings notice given to the student, I have shared above. But, looks like they still have options, but in the future, this could have an impact.

  4. An Immigration Attorney, Roger Rathi, from Detroit wrote:
    I have received many calls throughout the day from friends of students who have been arrested this morning in Detroit. ICE officers are giving two choices: (1) Voluntarily Depart U.S. at your own cost; or (2) Fight your case before an immigration judge – ask for bond and then prove that you did not violate terms of student status. Day 1 CPT is a violation; and so is not maintaining your full time status or not attending college as required. Neither option will result in quick resolution. It is likely to take 2 to 3 weeks if you agree to voluntarily depart. It will likely to take 2 to 3 weeks before you will have the bond hearing. Previous cases have waited for 3 or more years for resolution.

  5. this school is fake. no classes nothing. please dont get bad name to USA. Government of US is correcting greedy so called students

    1. Why to set the intention for students on obtaining a work permit by issuing day1 cpt programs???
      If students has to be charged with illegality then the dhs should also be charges for issuing them i-20 and work permits.
      And sarala madam how can you define those students as greedy.Have you been not greedy in your whole life. You are reflection your own attitude by giving comments on them.

      1. Don’t agree with your views here.

        Looks like ICE did not go after those who came to Farmington for a couple of months and moved to different school or status. Attorney Jack Sung spoke tiwh some of these students from UOF, and those got arrested were in the university for a long time without taking courses. So, they knew exactly what they were doing. As the court document said, “Pay to Stay”.

        Remember Tri-Valley, University of Northern New Jersey?

        And these students got a commission for recruiting their friends into the school to do the same.

        Above all, some of then transferred from NPU! Why would you go from one bad school to another sketchy school? After realizing there are no classes or professors or classroom, why didn’t they get out?

      2. “The federal indictments name eight people in eight states who allegedly were students at the school and recruited additional students to enroll. All have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud and harboring aliens for profit. They face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.” Quoting from Washingtonpost article.

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