India on Saturday issued a ‘demarche’ to the US Embassy here on the ‘detention’ of Indian students in America in the “pay-and-stay” university visa scam.
The government of India also sought immediate consular access to them, an MEA statement said here.
“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,” the statement said.
The government also insisted 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,” the statement said.
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 enrollment in a fraudulent university in the United States, the foreign ministry said.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents made the arrests on Wednesday.
The India mission and consulates have visited several detention centres throughout the US to extend consular assistance to the detained students, the MEA said.
“So far, about 30 Indian students have been contacted by our consular officers. Efforts to contact the remaining Indian students are continuing,” the statement said.
The ministry said a 24/7 helpline has been established in the Indian Embassy in Washington for assistance and queries related to the detention of Indian students.
The university in Detroit’s Farmington Hills was part of an undercover operation by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designed to expose ‘immigration fraud’, according to federal prosecutors who announced charges in the case.
The Helpline numbers 202-322-1190 and 202-340-2590 would be manned by senior embassy officials round the clock, sources said.(UNI)