Fraud university issue: India asks US not to deport detained Indian students against their will. The American Telugu Association has also advised the Indian community on how to find out if a student was detained and what measures need to be taken. A demarche was made to the Embassy of the United States in New Delhi by the Ministry of External Affairs

HYDERABAD: The Indian government has urged the United States not to resort to the deportation of Indian students against their will. This is following the incident in which eight Indian students had been arrested by for allegedly recruiting foreign students into a fake university, which had also been created by the Department of Homeland Security. Several students were also detained for taking admission in the fraud university. The students arrested were from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and were indicted.

The American Telugu Association has also advised the Indian community on how to find out if a student was detained and what measures need to be taken.

“The Government of India continues to closely monitor and take proactive measures to address the situation arising out of the detention of several Indian students in connection with their enrolment in a fraudulent university in the United States,” the ministry of external affairs said in a statement on Saturday explaining the measures that had been taken in connection with the crackdown on Indian students in the US.

A demarche was made to the Embassy of the United States in New Delhi by the Ministry of External Affairs.

“Our concern over the dignity and well-being of the detained students and the need for immediate consular access for Indian officials to the detainees was reiterated. We underlined that students, who may have been duped into enrolling in the ‘University’ should be treated differently from those recruiters who have duped them. We have urged the US side to share full details and regular updates of the students with the Government, to release them from detention at the earliest and not to resort to deportation against their will,” MEA said.

The ministry also said Indian mission and consulates in the US had visited several detention centres throughout the US to extend consular assistance to detained students. So far, about 30 Indian students have been contacted by our consular officers. Efforts to contact the remaining Indian students are continuing,” MEA said.

The Mission and Consulates have also been in touch with the representatives of the Indian community and their associations to gather more information about detainees. 

A 24/7 helpline has been established in our Embassy in Washington DC for assistance/queries related to the detention of Indian students. Telephone numbers are +1-202-322-1190 and +1-202-340-2590 and email:cons3.washington@mea.gov.in.

MEA said for those seeking legal help, guidance and assistance is being provided by our Mission and Consulates. Assistance from the Indian community has also been mobilised to provide legal support to those asking for it.

“The Government of India and the Indian Embassy and Consulates in the United States attach the highest priority to the welfare of the detained students and will continue to work with the U.S. authorities and other stakeholders to address the issue,” MEA said in the statement.

Meanwhile, the American Telugu Association is assisting the Indian community by providing updates and legal advise to affected students. The ATA in an FB post also informed the Indian community how to find the detainee by Name and Date of Birth. The website https://locator.ice.gov/odls/#/index and provide the details, ATA said.

“Once the detainee is located please reach the detention centre via their customer hotline,” it said. ATA explained by way of example that in case the detainee was in Stewart detention centre in GA one should reach out to 229-838-5000 and provide the First & Last Name or Date of birth to get the Alien Number or A Number. Once the Alien Number or A Number is available one should reach out to Atlanta Field Office and determine what the next steps are, it said.