Farmington Students: Complicit In The Fake University Fiasco?

The University of Farmington was a fake university set up in Farmington Hills, Michigan, by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2015. The university was used to expose student visa fraud in the United States. Posing as university officials, federal agents created bogus documents, advertised the university on social media, and sent emails to prospective students, specifically targeting international students from India who already had student visas. The university was listed as legitimate on the Department of Homeland Security's website, and students were told it was a nationally accredited institution authorized to enroll international students. However, there were no instructors or actual classes at the university. While ICE maintained that the students knew the school was fake, attorneys for the students argued that they thought the university was real. So, did the students of the University of Farmington know it was fake? The answer is not entirely clear, but it appears that some students may have been aware, while others were genuinely misled and enrolled believing it to be a legitimate institution.

The University of Farmington was a fake university set up by ICE in 2015

The University of Farmington was advertised as a ""nationally accredited business and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) institution" with flexible class schedules suited to students who wanted to maintain their careers while studying. It was also listed on the DHS website as a legitimate school authorized to enroll international students.

Over 600 individuals were identified in the operation, many of whom faced deportation from the United States for visa violations. Eight "recruiters" of Indian nationality were arrested and charged with visa fraud and harboring aliens for profit. They allegedly made more than $250,000 from the university in compensation.

Federal agents posed as university officials, speaking to foreign students on the phone and encouraging them to pay tuition for additional semesters, even though no classes ever materialized. The undercover ICE agents also refused to sign off on transfer requests, trapping students who were required to transfer to another school as part of their student visa conditions.

The University of Farmington had no classrooms, instructors, or actual classes, and students never received any degrees. However, the students claim they were unaware of the university's false nature, arguing that it was listed as legitimate on government websites and had all the appearances of a real university, including a functional website, social media presence, and detailed academic program information.

The University of Farmington's website claimed to "provide students from throughout the world a unique educational experience," with yearly undergraduate fees of $8,500, significantly lower than many other US institutions. The university's headquarters were located in the basement of an office complex in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

The truth about the University of Farmington was revealed when ICE agents began knocking on the doors of the hundreds of foreign students who had signed up. The students were arrested, deported, and faced long bouts of depression upon returning to their home countries, where some were treated like criminals.

A lawsuit was filed by the students against the US government in 2020, alleging breach of contract and seeking the return of tuition fees and reinstatement of their lawful visas. The lawsuit was initially dismissed but was reinstated by the US Court of Appeals in 2024, which argued that the government was "engaged in the sale of services."

The university targeted international students from countries like India

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. The sting operation, code-named "Paper Chase", targeted international students from countries like India, and resulted in the arrest of hundreds of students on immigration violations.

The university was created by ICE to appear as a legitimate institution, with a functional website, bogus documents, and a physical office location. It was advertised on social media and online as a university that had been around for 50 years and was accredited by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The university offered flexible class schedules and a focus on students who did not want to interrupt their careers, which attracted many international students, particularly from India.

The majority of the students enrolled at the University of Farmington were immigrants from India interested in studying technology and science. Many of these students had arrived legally in the U.S. and were on F-1 student visa programs when they enrolled. However, ICE alleged that these students were trying to "pay to stay" in the U.S., a claim that the students denied.

As a result of the sting operation, ICE arrested hundreds of students, deported many of them, and others left the U.S. on their own. The students who were deported reported long bouts of depression and feeling shame upon their return to India. Some students also reported being treated like criminals.

A lawsuit was filed against the U.S. government in 2020 by attorneys on behalf of the students, alleging that the government breached its contract with the students by failing to provide the offered classes and degrees. The lawsuit was initially thrown out but was later reinstated by the U.S. Court of Appeals, which ruled that the students had a legal basis to pursue their claims in court. The students and their attorneys are seeking the return of tuition fees and reinstatement of their lawful visas.

The university claimed to be accredited by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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). It was part of a sting operation, code-named "Paper Chase", overseen by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The university claimed to be accredited by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. It was also authorised by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to admit foreign students.

The University of Farmington had all the trappings of a real university, including a functional website, academic program details, and updates such as bad weather alerts. It also had a Twitter presence. The university claimed to provide "students from throughout the world a unique educational experience". The yearly fee for undergraduates was $8,500, which was significantly lower than many other US institutions.

The fake university was created to expose student visa fraud in the United States. Over 600 individuals were identified in the operation, many of whom faced deportation from the United States for visa violations. The operation was publicly disclosed on January 30, 2019, with the DHS and ICE HSI arresting eight "recruiters" of Indian nationality and charging them with visa fraud and harbouring aliens for profit. By March 2019, ICE had arrested a total of 161 students, most of whom were from India.

According to prosecutors, the students knowingly enrolled in the university solely to maintain their student-visa status and lengthen their stay in the US, despite being aware that they would not attend any actual classes or earn credits. However, the students' attorneys noted that the university had been listed as a legitimate school on the Department of Homeland Security website. They argued that their clients thought the university was real and that they were following immigration laws.

The University of Farmington's headquarters were in the basement of an office complex in Farmington Hills, Michigan. It did not have any instructors or classrooms, and there is conflicting evidence over whether students were aware of this. Matt Friedman, who worked in the same complex, stated that he never saw anyone there, while others who worked in the building claimed to have seen students arriving with backpacks and attempting to inquire about the university.

Over 600 individuals were identified in the operation, many of whom faced deportation

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. The sting operation, code-named "Paper Chase", was overseen by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Prosecutors alleged that the students enrolled in the university solely to maintain their student-visa status and lengthen their stay in the US, despite knowing that no actual classes would be held, and that they would not earn credits or make academic progress towards a degree. However, the students' attorneys noted that the university had been listed as legitimate on the Department of Homeland Security website.

The University of Farmington's headquarters were in the basement of the North Valley office complex in Farmington Hills. The university's website claimed to "provide students from throughout the world a unique educational experience" and included academic program details. It also claimed to be accredited by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. The website featured program details, tuition pricing, and updates such as bad weather alerts. The yearly fee for undergraduates was $8,500, significantly lower than many other US institutions.

The Detroit Free Press reported that the university had no classrooms, and that no one was ever seen there. Some people who worked in the building doubted the prosecutors' contention that everyone was willfully involved, claiming to have seen students arriving with backpacks and attempting to inquire about the university.

The Indian government issued a démarche asking for the immediate release of the students and requesting against any non-voluntary deportation. Some students were released after an intervention by the Indian Consulate, which also opened a hotline. By the end of 2019, around 250 students had been arrested, followed in some cases by deportation, while others left the US voluntarily.

The students and their attorneys are seeking the return of tuition fees and reinstatement of visas

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). The sting operation, code-named "Paper Chase", aimed to expose student visa fraud in the United States. Over 600 individuals, mostly from India, were identified in the operation, many of whom faced deportation from the U.S. for visa violations.

The University of Farmington had all the trappings of a real university, including a functional website, academic program details, a physical office, and a Twitter presence. It was listed as a legitimate school on the Department of Homeland Security website and was accredited by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The university claimed to "provide students from around the world with a unique educational experience" and charged $8,500 per year for undergraduates, significantly lower than many other U.S. institutions. However, the university did not have any instructors or actual classes.

The students who enrolled at the University of Farmington were unaware that it was a fake institution. They believed they were enrolling in a legitimate and accredited university. The students paid tuition fees ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 per year, expecting to receive an education and earn degrees. However, they soon discovered that the university was a sham, and many were arrested or deported for visa violations.

The students and their attorneys are seeking legal recourse and have filed a class-action lawsuit against the U.S. government. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, alleges that the government breached its contract with the students by failing to provide the promised education and services. The students are seeking the return of their tuition fees, which amount to millions of dollars, and the reinstatement of their lawful visas. They argue that they were unwitting victims of the government's scheme and that it was virtually impossible for them to know that the university was fake.

The lawsuit was initially dismissed by the claims court in 2022 due to lack of jurisdiction. However, in June 2024, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reinstated it. The panel agreed that the government was "engaged in the sale of services" and that the students were unaware of the true nature of the university. The case is ongoing, and the students are hopeful for a positive outcome that will help them regain their financial losses and restore their visas, allowing them to get their lives back on track.

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