 | |
| Motto | Latin: Scientia et labor |
|---|---|
| Type | Fake university |
| Active | 2015–2019 |
| Location | , , U.S. |
| Website | https://universityoffarmington.edu/ |
The University of Farmington was a fake university set up in 2015 in Michigan by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to expose student visa fraud in the United States.[1] The sting operation,[2][3] code-named "Paper Chase", was overseen by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Over 600 individuals were identified in the operation, many of whom face deportation from the United States for visa violations.[4]
The sting was disclosed to the public on January 30, 2019, with The Detroit News[5] reporting that the DHS and ICE HSI had arrested eight "recruiters" of Indian nationality and charged them on grounds of visa fraud and harboring aliens for profit. In total, the recruiters allegedly made more than $250,000 from the university in compensation.[6][7] By early February 2019, 130 students (129 of whom were from India, and 127 of them specifically being from Andra/Telungana state of India)[8] from multiple cities had been arrested for violation of immigration laws, and were subject to deportation if convicted.[9][10] In March 2019, ICE announced that 161 students had been arrested in total.[11]
According to prosecutors, the students enrolled in the university solely to maintain their student-visa status and lengthen their stay in the US,[9] despite being aware "that they would not attend any actual classes, earn credits or make academic progress towards an actual degree."[2] However, the students' attorneys noted that the university had been listed as a legitimate school on the Department of Homeland Security website.[12]
- ^ Farzan, Antonia Noori (January 31, 2019). "ICE set up a fake university. Hundreds enrolled, not realizing it was a sting operation". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
NYT_31Janwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Warikoo, Niraj (January 30, 2019). "Farmington Hills fake university set up by ICE to nab foreign students". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ Sudhir, Uma (January 31, 2019). "8 Indians Caught In Visa Scam In US Undercover Op, Many Face Deportation". NDTV.com. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ "Feds used fake Michigan university in immigration sting". The Detroit News. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ Raj, Yashwant (January 31, 2019). "Hundreds of Indian students face jail, deportation in US college scam". Hindustan Times. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ Snell, Robert (January 30, 2019). "Feds used fake Michigan university in immigration sting". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on January 31, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ "US visa fraud case: Fear, anxiety grip parents back in Andhra". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ a b "US fake university sting angers India". BBC News. February 3, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ "ICE fake university: 'It's entrapment', say Indians reacting to news of 130 students arrested across 20 US cities". Firstpost. February 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
- ^ Warikoo, Niraj (March 8, 2019). "ICE arrests more students at fake university, others being removed from US". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
- ^ "ICE arrests 90 more foreign students at fake university created by DHS in Michigan". USA Today. November 27, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.