In 2020, a lawsuit was filed against the U.S. government in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims by attorneys on behalf of Teja Ravi and other students enrolled at the University of Farmington, which no longer exists after ICE shut it down in 2019 and arrested at least 250 of its students [after over 600 enrolled]. The suit said the U.S. breached their contract with the students by essentially stealing their tuition money, about $11,000 a year for each student. They are asking for their money back and other punitive damages.
...
The students had arrived legally in the U.S. and were on F-1 student visa programs when they enrolled. But it was all an elaborate operation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations to trick foreign-born students they allege were trying to "pay to stay" in the U.S., a claim the students deny. ICE arrested hundreds of students, deported many of them and others left the U.S. on their own.
...
Records reveal the Department of Homeland Security went to great lengths to deceive the students, said their attorneys. The fake university was incorporated in the state of Michigan in January 2016, records with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs show. The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, which was working with the U.S. on its sting operation, also listed the university as legitimate.
"Yes, we lied to the students, but don't worry, we aren't lying to you. Trust us." Nothing ICE says has any credibility. I'd doubt them if they told me the sky was blue.
[Callender] told the Free Press in 2019 that “HSI special agents, as part of this undercover operation, made it abundantly clear in their interactions with potential University of Farmington enrollees that the school did not offer academic or vocational programs of any kind. The individuals who enrolled in the University of Farmington did so intentionally."
"Yes, we lied to the students, but don't worry, we aren't lying to you. Trust us."
Nothing ICE says has any credibility. I'd doubt them if they told me the sky was blue.
In the second link, unless I misread something, it seems like some students were genuinely confused about classes not being offered. So it seems like some, perhaps many, had honest intentions. On...
In the second link, unless I misread something, it seems like some students were genuinely confused about classes not being offered. So it seems like some, perhaps many, had honest intentions. On the subject of no classes available, one student was recorded saying, "Why wasn't I told about this?"
It seems like a plausible scenario that the university appeared to offer classes, then when some tried to enroll in classes, there was a bait and switch, and were told that there were no classes available but they could still "enroll" to maintain their visa.
With the wider context that many students had to switch institutes because their previous college lost accreditation, and applying to admissions takes time and effort, it seems almost reasonable to assume a good number of those caught in this trap/sting thing probably changed plans to this university and were then blindsided by the whole "oh okay actually we don't offer classes but here's what you can do instead." Short time time or perhaps unable to now apply to another college, the student takes the technically illegal stopgap to maintain their visa, assuming they could then take actual classes when there was room or in the next semester.
Otherwise, why would some be confused and distressed that no classes were being offered, and exasperated that they weren't initially told that no classes were available? Why would they even call to ask when classes began unless they intended to attend class?
Of course, there are also students quoted pressing an agent to make sure they wouldn't have to take classes or complete assignments. So others certainly had every intent of using this as a visa mill situation without having any academic expectations.
I wonder if perhaps different ICE agents told students different things (for whatever reason, maybe not wholly malice but overzelousness in their duties), and ended up catching honest students.
It doesn't seem as black and white as ICE is presenting it, nor as black and white as "ICE just doing this to trap innocent people." Seems like shady shit happened all around. Some bad actors were caught, namely the recruiters purposefully enticing students with the promise of no classes and no assignments, and some innocent immigrants who actually wanted to attend class but found themselves unable to do so because it wasn't communicated clearly to them were also caught.
The question I wonder is whether or not I even give a damn if some people are abusing student visa programs. Do people abusing student visa programs and "getting away with it" even have any negative impact on anyone? Genuine question because I don't really know.
ICE needs to be abolished.
"Yes, we lied to the students, but don't worry, we aren't lying to you. Trust us."
Nothing ICE says has any credibility. I'd doubt them if they told me the sky was blue.
In the second link, unless I misread something, it seems like some students were genuinely confused about classes not being offered. So it seems like some, perhaps many, had honest intentions. On the subject of no classes available, one student was recorded saying, "Why wasn't I told about this?"
It seems like a plausible scenario that the university appeared to offer classes, then when some tried to enroll in classes, there was a bait and switch, and were told that there were no classes available but they could still "enroll" to maintain their visa.
With the wider context that many students had to switch institutes because their previous college lost accreditation, and applying to admissions takes time and effort, it seems almost reasonable to assume a good number of those caught in this trap/sting thing probably changed plans to this university and were then blindsided by the whole "oh okay actually we don't offer classes but here's what you can do instead." Short time time or perhaps unable to now apply to another college, the student takes the technically illegal stopgap to maintain their visa, assuming they could then take actual classes when there was room or in the next semester.
Otherwise, why would some be confused and distressed that no classes were being offered, and exasperated that they weren't initially told that no classes were available? Why would they even call to ask when classes began unless they intended to attend class?
Of course, there are also students quoted pressing an agent to make sure they wouldn't have to take classes or complete assignments. So others certainly had every intent of using this as a visa mill situation without having any academic expectations.
I wonder if perhaps different ICE agents told students different things (for whatever reason, maybe not wholly malice but overzelousness in their duties), and ended up catching honest students.
It doesn't seem as black and white as ICE is presenting it, nor as black and white as "ICE just doing this to trap innocent people." Seems like shady shit happened all around. Some bad actors were caught, namely the recruiters purposefully enticing students with the promise of no classes and no assignments, and some innocent immigrants who actually wanted to attend class but found themselves unable to do so because it wasn't communicated clearly to them were also caught.
The question I wonder is whether or not I even give a damn if some people are abusing student visa programs. Do people abusing student visa programs and "getting away with it" even have any negative impact on anyone? Genuine question because I don't really know.