Indian students in US radio-tagged; angry govt says remove it Read more: Indian stud

[JayATL]

yeah..
some also might have found it out afterward but what were they supposed to do?
all should not be punished for crime of others.

all are not being punished , again it states it clearly in the article. Its a handful that were being flagged for deportation- and the truly innocent will be allowed to transfer to other universities.

I'd be happy to quote the American counterparts comment in an article posted here, now that is becoming increasing obvious the rabble rouser chest thumping, all hat no cattle- have not bothered to read

"During the conversation, the US officials, including the ICE Director, are believed to have acknowledged that there are a lot of innocent victims, but did not rule out that there might be some students who were involved in this scam."

"US officials are believed to have assured Indian authorities that every effort would be made to ensure that the academic career of genuine students is not affected and they get ample opportunity and alternatives to pursue their goals"

--------
some and not you warriorextreme- Instead of concentrating on throwing out racists connotations implying the Uncle Tom theory, if one disagrees with someone ( classic low class racists attitude, really considered the cheapest of mentalities)m -need to concentrate on one color- using their grey matter to read the articles before throwing a hussy fit.

 

[nrj]

Did not violate law; help us complete study: TVU students

WASHINGTON: Duped by an American university, a harassed group of Indian students has met the Consul General in San Francisco seeking help to complete their studies and claimed that they have not violated any law.

A group of 35 students from Tri-Valley University (TVU) yesterday met Consul General Sushmita Gongulee Thomas.

Thomas said she had also sought factual position from the US Government on the status of these students.

"We are seeking factual position (from the US Government) on the status of these students and how these students can be helped in transfer to other colleges, so that they can complete their studies," Sushmita Gongulee Thomas, Consul General of India in San Francisco, told PTI.

On January 25, Thomas said, she wrote to the Office of Foreign Mission , in San Francisco and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement seeking detailed information on this case.

She hasn't received any response from them so far, Thomas said.

Hundreds of Indian students,mostly from Andhra Pradesh, face the prospect of deportation from the US after authorities raided and shut down Tri-Valley University in the Silicon Valley on charges of a massive immigration fraud.

"According to the group that came to the Consulate, a large number of students had not violated any visa or immigration rules and were unaware of the fraudulent nature of the school. Their primary concern is to complete their education for which they feel that they should be allowed to seek admission in other schools," said Ashok Kumar Sinha, Consul ( Community Affairs )), Indian Consulate San Francisco.

"They are also concerned about reports in the media that indicate that all students of the TVU were part of the scam. Many of the TVU students, specially the more recent ones and some who transferred from other accredited universities, were unaware of the true nature of the university and have suddenly found themselves to be victims," Sinha said.

Sinha said the Consulate is taking up the matter with Investigations by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE).

"The Consulate, on behalf of those students who have not violated any immigration rules, is taking up the matter with ICE to find out how these students can be helped so that they can seek admissions in other universities or can go back honorably to India without forfeiting their chance of ever being able to return to the US," he said.

Currently, their SEVIS information has been blocked by DHS without which they cannot seek transfers or admissions to other universities.

"The Consulate is also trying to enlist the support of local immigration attorneys to answer immigration related questions of these students," Sinha said.

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 per cent of these students are Indian nationals, the complaint said.

Investigations by ICE found that while students were admitted to various residential and on-line courses of the university and on paper lived in California, but in reality they "illegally" worked in various parts of the country as far as Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

ICE has called it as a Sham University ". It also found that more than half of these students were reported to be residing in a single apartment located in Sunnyvale California.

During the course of the investigation ICE found that the university gave the residential address of its students in order to conceal that they did not live in California, said the court papers.

For a student to maintain an active immigration status, they must show proof that they are making reasonable process toward completing coursework and physically attend classes.

Unconfirmed reports said that nearly two dozen students have been arrested or detained so far in various parts of the
country.

ET

 

[nrj]

Centre plans website for Indians studying abroad

NEW DELHI: Concerned over the fate of Indian students who were enrolled in the now-derecognised Tri-Valley University (TVU) in the United States, the Human Resource Development Ministry has asked Educational Consultants India Limited (EdCIL) to prepare a project report on creating and maintaining a web page that could be dedicated to students abroad.

EdCIL, a public sector undertaking, offers consultancy and technical services in different areas of education, not only within the country but also on a global basis.

The Ministry proposes to set up the web portal where all information regarding universities and educational institutions abroad would be available with the click of a mouse. The website would be updated so as to provide the latest information on the authenticity of the institutions and the courses offered by them so that the students aspiring to study abroad are not dumped as has happened in the case of TVU.

The Hindu

 

[nrj]

What US enforcement officials got to say on this now??


US Homeland Security site lists Tri-Valley University as approved

As the controversy over the radio-collaring of Indian students rages, it has emerged they were granted valid student visas and that Tri-Valley University (TVU) is listed as an approved institute by the US's Department of Homeland Security.

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has pointed out to the Ministry of External Affairs that TVU is on the approved institutes' list of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and so Indian students enrolled there can hardly be hauled up for being part of the fraud.

The MEA is learnt to have brought these facts to the notice of US authorities who have come under flak for using ankle monitors on the students and the subsequent insensitive comments.

Designed by the US Department of Homeland Security and US Department of State, the SEVP uses web-based technology — the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) — to track and monitor schools and programmes, students, exchange visitors and their dependents legally enrolled in the US education system.

SEVIS also puts out a list of approved schools for the benefit of foreign students and TVU figures on it.

Located in Pleasanton, California, the university was approved by SEVP on February 17, 2009, says the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department on its website. The SEVP and SEVIS are credible tools used to check quality of institutes by foreign students keen to enroll in the US.

Officials point out that this is the first time that such a fraud has emerged in the US.

Over a lakh Indian students are enrolled across universities in the US. Most Indian students are well educated, demonstrate good learning abilities and perform well in the US institutes. Also, there are rare cases of Indian students violating US rules and regulations.

The US authorities are also particular about those applying for student visas and scrutinise applications in great detail.

That an institute like TVU could operate in the US points to a gap in the policy that allowed an allegedly one-room set-up to pose as a university and attract students from abroad.

Indian Express

 

[SHASH2K2]

'Sham' university: US indicates it may reinstate Indian students' visas​

WASHINGTON: The US immigration and custom enforcement (ICE) has indicated that it is ready to consider reinstating the immigration status of those Indian students, who have lost their student visas due to the closure of a California-based "sham" university.

"We received a message from ICE today, in which they indicated that they would consider the possibility of reinstatement of their (students) visa status through I-539," Susmita Gongulee Thomas, consul general, Indian consulate San Francisco, said.

I-539 is the form used by US citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) for visa extension and change of immigration status.

When one is out of the visa status for one reason or the other under a particular law of the US and the individual is not in criminal violation, USCIS may agree to give the reinstatement of his or her status under this form.

Duped by the authorities of the Tri-Valley University, which has now been shut down, hundreds of Indian students, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, faced the threat of being deported back home after having lost their student visa status.

However, no immediate detail of ICE's one-liner to Indian consulate in San Francisco was available.

Thomas hoped that more details and clarification on this would be available from ICE early next week.

She said all indications are that this is not going to be a general amnesty and ICE would consider the request for status change or visa extension on a case by case basis.

"It seems quite positive that they are willing to consider at least the possibility of reinstating of some of the students," Thomas said.

"I think it will be case by case basis, because earlier we had clarified that there is nothing like the general amnesty. It would be case by case, because they feel that there might be some students who are in criminal violation of the immigration," she added.

Meanwhile, nearly 150 Tri-Valley students turned up for the free legal aid camp organised by the Indian consulate in San Francisco in association with the South Asian Bar Association (SABA).

Two immigration lawyers along with one civil and one criminal lawyer from SABA spend several hours with these students on a one-on-one basis on Saturday.

The lawyers counseled the students that since many of them are in the US for the first time, they are not aware of how they can undermine their own rights under the US law and give away their immunities and privileges if they talk inadvertently and without thinking.

"They (attorneys) have advised us to tell the students that they should not speak to ICE or to the media without consulting an attorney or a lawyer," Thomas said.

She said the choice to speak to them is always there, but they should be advised about their own safety and their privileges and how they should put across their case without compromising their own rights in the matter.

Thomas said so far 18 Tri-Valley Students have been radio-ankled and no fresh case has been brought to the notice of the Consulate so far.

Ankle monitor sends a radio frequency signal containing location and other information to a receiver.

Thomas said students are anxious that they would be able to miss out a complete semester and worried they would be out of status and how that would affect their future abilities to get visas and admission in the universities.

"They are worried how they would sustain themselves if they are not able to work anymore and this is going to be very expensive. They are worried about legal process," said the consul general.

Acknowledging that it has been a very telling time for the students, Thomas said effort is being made to provide them legal status and advice from others who can help them.

She said the meeting with the lawyers was very helpful to the students and were advised that they should wait till the middle of next week before taking any decision.

"Before they think of walking out voluntarily or just going out of the State as that could worsen their situation and the note that ICE has promised to give options to students, which they might prefer to exercise rather than going in for a central confrontation," Thomas said.

Read more: 'Sham' university: US indicates it may reinstate Indian students' visas - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-visas-/articleshow/7435951.cms#ixzz1DAISqbqG

 

[Oracle]

US removes radio tags from two Indian students

United States immigration authorities have removed radio tags from the ankles of two Indian students from California-based Tri Valley University, which has been shut down on charges of massive visa fraud.


"Immigration attorney, Kalpana Peddibhotla had taken two of the students to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and she has been able to obtain the removal of the radio tags from them," Susmita Gongulee Thomas, the Consul General, Indian Consulate San Francisco, told PTI.


Peddibhotla and these students had attended a free legal aid camp organised by the Indian Consulate in San Francisco in association with the South Asian Bar Association.


"She (Peddibhotla) would be taking some more next week and is optimistic that this might have positive outcome as well," Thomas said.


According to a federal complaint filed in a California court in January, the university helped foreign nationals illegally acquire immigration status.


The university is said to have 1,555 students. As many as 95 per cent of these students are Indian nationals, the complaint said.


Investigations by ICE have found that while students were admitted to various residential and on-line courses of the university and on paper lived in California, but in reality they "illegally" worked in various parts of the country as far as Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Texas.


ICE has called it as a "sham university", a charge denied by the university. "ICE has also indicated that those who are willing to talk to them, the authorities are willing to discuss with them all available options for the students to remain lawfully in the United States," Thomas added.


According to available information, 18 students in California were radio-tagged by ICE as part of their investigation against Tri Valley University.


Ankle monitors send a radio frequency signal containing location and other information to a receiver.


Refraining from discussing individual cases, ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said if someone is placed in deportation proceedings, they have full access to due process and an opportunity to seek legal relief from removal through the immigration courts.


"In determining whether individuals will be detained while those proceedings go forward or released under some sort of supervision, ICE carefully considers all aspects of the case, including the person's criminal and immigration history, their ties to the community and whether they represent a flight risk," Kice said.

Source

 

[Oracle]

How many immigrants understand their host country's laws?

The students waiting outside the Indian consulate in San Francisco came with a mixture of hope and trepidation. Hope, because they thought that as Indians, their country's representatives in the United States would help them find a way out of their predicament after the Tri-Valley University was declared a sham and shut down by the Department of Homeland Security. Trepidation, because after the university's closure they were no longer legal immigrants in the US.
The over 1,500 students affected have no cause for comfort given the varied ways officials have dealt with some of them. Rajshekhara Dasari, for one, was incarcerated in an Ohio prison till he got bail, some others were let off on their on recognisance, and yet others go around in electronic fetters. Some of them protest that they were doing nothing illegal--such as working on a student F-1 visa--and being deemed illegal just because of what their university did is unfair to them.

"Look, I wasn't working so I should be allowed to study and stay in the United States of America," said one of them. A group of girls agreed that if the US government permitted them to transfer to another university they would not go back. They feared having to face their parents back home more than the Homeland Security officials. They were already in debt after paying millions of rupees to come over, and bail amounts ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 have added to that burden.

The past two weeks, the Indian Americans--as well as Indians--have been fiercely debating how much the students themselves are to blame. Were they aware of US laws about working on a student visa? Were they not suspicious, among other things, when they were offered 20 percent of their fees for every new student they referred?

American Telugu Association member Babu Gummad pointed out that many students had admitted that they had not been cleared for Curricular Practical Training. Were all these students rich enough to manage without a job?

Valid arguments, but hindsight tends to have its advantages. The question is, how many new immigrants have a complex understanding of their host country's laws?

It is heart rending to see students walking fearfully down the street--or trying to call up some attorney hoping the lawyer can do some magic. But they know the spring semester has already begun and that if anything is to be done it can only be done for that fall semester in distant August. They can only hope that the US government will take some time to put its case together -- and do something for them on humanitarian grounds.

The students' most useful ally could be Prakash Khatri, till 2008 the independent ombudsman of the Citizenship and Immigration Services, who knows the flaws in the system and can help them understand what could appear inconsistent treatment.

Immigration attorney Sheela Murthy is trying to put together a petition seeking to let students transfer to universities the authorities accept as legitimate. Given that most of the Indian students are from Andhra Pradesh, there are also representatives from the Telugu Association of North America and the ATA, such as attorney Raj Akula, trying to find a solution.

Many students have given up and are leaving the country because they fear the US government could hold them for years. They believe that going back to India [ Images ] to clear those mounting debts is a better idea than waiting out the current storm.

Diplomats in Washington, DC, San Francisco, and other places have expressed their disquiet at the way Indian students have been treated like potential fugitives--even criminals--only because of irregularities in the way their university was run. It is not clear how much success they have had in helping Indian students, who are still paying thousands of dollars in bail.

The San Francisco consulate is providing free legal advice but has not yet spoken of enlisting an attorney to help these students, who should be innocent until proven guilty. Besides, the consulate has been advising students not to talk to the media, and telling the media the students are not interested in talking to them.

The officials went out of their way to ensure journalists did not meet students who had come over to the consulate.

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao [ Images ], who has been proactive in the case, is traveling to the US February 12. She is expected to meet senior diplomats and decide on how to tackle the issue. The student are hoping that along with Ambassador Meera Shankar, Rao's 1973 batchmate in the Indian Foreign Service, the foreign secretary may be able to do something for them.

Source

 

[Oracle]

US presents options for Tri-Valley students

A much-awaited advisory from the Department the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement may alleviate the fears of legitimate students of Tri-Valley University, which was closed following charges of fraud.

The advisory, posted on Tuesday, provides students with a few options, including the one to return home without being barred re-entry to the US in future.

"We have to contact our immigration attorney to find out what is required," said Ashok Kolla, chair of the Telugu Association of North America's student committee.

In an e-mail, Virginia Kice, western regional communications director and spokesperson, told rediff.com that "ICE has taken further steps to ensure SEVP-certified schools and former Tri-Valley students have the information they need to make informed decisions in light of the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, many students residing in the Bay Area received the "Notice to Appear."

Students who contact SEVP representatives will be advised they have three options:

Report to ICE to be processed for voluntary departure from the United States. This option allows them to leave under their own power on a day of their choosing, to remain in the United States without fear of being arrested while waiting to depart, and keeps their immigration history clean.

Depart the United States on their own.

File for re-instatement with US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Tri-Valley University was declared a sham and shut down by the Department of Homeland Security January 19. The closure of university's rendered the Tri-Valley students out of status and, therefore, no longer legal immigrants.

Kice said, "As you knowÂ…due to the ongoing investigationÂ…we are discussing the details related to this case."

More than 1,500 students were affected and many were tagged with electronic anklets as part of its Intensive Supervision Appearance Program.The matter may take a while to get to court. One student who has been wearing a monitoring device since January 19 has a court date set at August 30 and a friend's on September 13.

Susmita G Thomas, the Indian consul general in San Francisco, said on Saturday that she received a one-line e-mail from ICE suggesting there is a possibility of reinstatement of visa which means the possibility of filing I-539 application to extend their non-immigration status.

USCIS spokesperson Sharon Rummery said the I-539 is filed when non-immigrant students go out of status or have discontinued their study and are applying for reinstatement. The process to access eligibility and clear the application, thus permitting the student to stay, could take about 10 weeks. Application costs work out to $290.

"I suppose it is a positive sign.It is not a blanket thing. They will review each student and will work on case by case basis.If that helps those legitimately in the US to study it will reduce some of the damage done," Thomas said.

Source

 

[pmaitra]

Tri-Valley: The Ugly Indian

Tri-Valley: The Ugly Indian

Chidanand Rajghatta
February 5, 2011; Times of India

If your chest is welling with sympathy and commiseration for hundreds of Indian "students" caught up in the Tri-Valley "University" scam in the US, save it. You may need it for thousands of hard-working, meritorious students who slog through GRE, GMAT and other qualifying exams as they aspire for higher degrees in centres of excellence abroad. They may now be put through the wringer in the admission and visa process because of the escapades of a few. They may be your children, your siblings, or extended members of your family, but hope that Uncle Sam and his cohorts (Canada, Australia, UK etc) don't put a hex on their plans. Even more, make sure they don't choose the shortcuts taken by this desperate troupe in search of green pastures rather than scholastic quality. No one in this cast was going to bring glory to India;but they have brought infamy.

Source: http://www.timescrest.com/opinion/trivalley-the-ugly-indian-4728

 

[SHASH2K2]

TVU students should be 'absorbed' in US universities: India

NEW YORK: India today said that the Indian students of California-based Tri Valley University, which has been shut down on charges of massive visa fraud, should be absorbed into other US universities and not victimised.

"The student who came in good faith, they should not be victimized," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told reporters here.

"It is necessary they should be absorbed into other universities in the United States and allowed to pursue their studies," he said.

According to a federal complaint filed in a California court in January, the University helped foreign nationals illegally acquire immigration status. The university is said to have 1,555 students. As many as 95 per cent of these students are Indian nationals, the complaint said.

Investigations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have found that while students were admitted to various residential and on-line courses of the university and on paper lived in California, but in reality they "illegally" worked in various parts of the country as far as Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Krishna underlined that the students came on valid visas and were "cheated by dubious promises made by education providers" and he called on the US government "to bring to justice the bogus institutions."

ICE has called it as a "Sham University", a charge denied by the University.

According to available information, 18 students in California were radio-tagged by ICE as part of their investigation against Tri Valley University.

Ankle monitors send a radio frequency signal containing location and other information to a receiver.

US immigration authorities have removed radio tags from the ankles of two Indian students.

Krishna, who has previously called the tagging as "inhuman", said that he had expressed his "resentment" against the practice.

Later today, Indian ambassador to the US Meera Shankar and Consul General at the Indian Consulate San Francisco Susmita Gongulee Thomas will meet the minister and are expected to brief him on the matter before he leaves New York.

Read more: TVU students should be 'absorbed' in US universities: India - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...s-India/articleshow/7482020.cms#ixzz1DkUsiOUJ
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[The Messiah]

I think they should be put on a flight back to India.

 

[pmaitra]

Hillary assures help to duped Tri-Valley University students

Hillary assures help to duped Tri-Valley University students

AGENCIES, Feb 13, 2011; Times of India

NEW YORK: External affairs minister SM Krishna and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton discussed about the Tri-Valley University Indian students issue on Sunday. Clinton is reported to have given her assurances to help the Indian students from Tri-Valley University who have lost their visa status.

In a 15-minute telephonic conversation with Krishna, Clinton has assured all help and has agreed to intervene and sort out the matter. Krishna has been in New York since Thursday to push India's agenda for UN Security Council reforms.

According to a federal complaint filed in a California court in January, the Tri-Valley University helped foreign nationals illegally acquire immigration status. The university is said to have 1,555 students. As many as 95 per cent of these students are Indian nationals, the complaint said.

Investigations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have found that while students were admitted to various residential and on-line courses of the university and on paper lived in California, but in reality they "illegally" worked in various parts of the country as far as Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Krishna told Clinton that while the US investigates the university, these students must be given humanitarian considerations so that their cases are resolved quickly and they can join other institutions.

Krishna met with around 30 of these students on Saturday. He said that government through its embassy in Washington and consulates in America has been working closely with the students, who have unfortunately got caught in the scam.

Krishna also welcomed Clinton in advance and said he looked forward to her visit to India. Clinton will come to India in April for the second round of the India-US strategic dialogue.

Both leaders also discussed the political developments in Egypt. Following several days of protests President Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down, ending his 30-year reign.

Both India and US welcomed the resignation of Mubarak.

Read more: Hillary assures help to duped Tri-Valley University students - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...tudents/articleshow/7489541.cms#ixzz1DruER6wD

 

[roma]

If it was a dubious institution , then why did the US authorities in India issue a visa in the first place ?
IT is up to the visa issuing authority to be satisfied with the authenicity or otherwise of the institution.
so having issued the visas they have to treat the students as bona-fide or make alternative arragements FOR them not take it out ON them

 

[pmaitra]

^^ I think there was fault or lapses on both the sides.

• On the VISA issuing authority's side, i.e. the US consulate, for having issued VISAs for Tri-Valley 'University' (note that then this 'University' was not known to be sham).
• On the part of many of the students, who saw signs of fraud but ignored them for their own benefits, especially so, because students, before coming to US, do extensive research on the institutions they are going to attend.

 

[Oracle]

Students duped in US would be relocated: Krishna

The United States has assured India that innocent students of the fake Tri Valley University would get an opportunity to 're-adjust' their status or transfer to other US universities, the government said on Wednesday and expressed confidence that all such students would be relocated.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told Parliament that India had asked the US government that students, who were themselves victims of fraud, should be given adequate time and opportunity to transfer to other universities.

"While we recognise the right of every government to investigate and prosecute fraud, we have asked the US government that students who are themselves victims of fraud should be given adequate time and opportunity to transfer to other universities or adjust their status and if they desire, return to India honourably," he said in a suo motu statement in both Houses of Parliament.

"The government of India will leave no stone unturned to see that their education prospects do not get adversely affected. I am hopeful our students will be relocated," he told Rajya Sabha while responding to concerns expressed by members over the fate of the 1,500 students in the university.

He said since the semester exams in US were in progress, it would take some time for relocation of the affected Indian students. On the GPS devices being tagged to some Indian students by the US agencies, Krishna said it was done as part of the ongoing investigation.

He said the US authorities have begun progressively removing the radio tags. Krishna had spoken to US Secretary of States Hillary Clinton about it. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Indian Ambassador to US Meera Shankar were also in touch with US officials, he said.

India expects the US to take steps to prevent such universities from exploiting foreign students, he said, adding the government would also advise Indian students to exercise due diligence while applying to foreign universities.

Source