Washington: Authorities in US have initiated action against another university, this time in the suburb of Washington, where an overwhelming number of students are from India with majority of them reportedly from Andhra Pradesh.
However, based on their experience of the "shamed" Tri Valley University in California, wherein the Indian government had strongly objected to the manner in which students from India were treated, federal authorities this time have taken steps to ensure that students face less inconvenience and have assured the Indian Embassy here that no arrest or detention or electronic monitoring would be done on students.
Contrary to the Tri Valley case, the focus of investigations here is not on students but on the schools itself, an official told PTI.
On the lines similar to that of the Tri valley University, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement yesterday initiated action against the University of Northern Virginia which presently has 2,400 students, of whom 90 per cent are from India. Of these an overwhelming majority of them are from Andhra Pradesh.
The University of Northern Virginia was authorised to issue I-20 form to about 50 students but had issued and enrolled a much larger number.
However, based on the experience of the Tri-valley case US authorities would be handling the present investigation and follow up action somewhat differently.
Stating that no arrest, detention or electronic monitoring would be done on students, officials said the university would not be immediately shut down but would be given a one month notice for explanation.
The present students would have one of the three options: continue at the University while it functions; seek transfer to another university and seek voluntary return to India.
In another major relief, visa status of the students would not be terminated, they would remain valid for their present duration, which would also provide time for seeking transfers while continuing in a valid visa status.
In another notice, ICE has informed the UNVA students that they have two choices continue to attend classes and maintain their active status, seek transfer to another SEVP-approved institution.
"UNVA students must immediately depart the country if they are unable to continue to attend classes and maintain their active status in a manner required by the regulation or if they are unable or do not wish to seek transfer to another SEVP-certified institution," it said.
UNVA officials no longer have access to SEVIS and not be able to manage non-immigrant students records in SEVIC, the notice said.
"UNVA non-immigrant students should contact SEVP, as they would their designated school official (DSO), to report any changes, so their SEVIS record and Form I-20 can be updated accordingly," the notice said.
US authorities investigating the case, acknowledge lacuna in their current education and visa system which was not to early identification of universities that exceed their mandate. It is understood that following Tri valley and University of North Virginia, they are looking into addressing thus.
A number of students and teachers had gathered outside the university since morning, most of whom were not willing to speak to the media. However, Zubair Masood, a teacher at the university, said that FBI and ICI officials suddenly appeared at the university early this morning.
"They asked questions, they took photographs. They took 30 minutes and then they let us out of the building," he said, adding that probably they are suspecting that there are students here who are not registered properly.
Masood said that the university officials told them late in the night that the university is still open, and they still have their jobs.
MBA student Maria Guzman, a foreign student from Bulgaria, said that the raid is shocking for the university students. "My class mates and me are concerned about what is going on. We are F1 students, for immigration students, if we do not maintain our status, attending classes, we can lose our visa and we have to return to our country," Guzman said.
None of the Indian students who had gathered outside the university, were willing to speak to the media, but from their facial expression, they appeared to be concerned, given that many of their countrymen early this year had a bitter experience at the Tri-Valley University, which was closed this year on alleged visa fraud.
Guzman said that she is the only Bolivian student in the university, and some are Americans. "Most of them are from India," she said adding that in her class of 25 students 80 percent are from India.
Diana LaVore, who has taught at UNVA for the last 13 years, said she never suspected any wrong doing at the university. "This is very shocking," she said, adding that she was teaching in the class this morning when ICE and FBI officials knocked at her classroom. (PTI)
