Washington, February 10: In what is being seen as a step towards resolution of the crisis faced by Indian students of the dubious Tri-Valley University, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has asked the 1,555 affected students to contact it to find out the options available to them.
The options will be conveyed individually to the students, in line with ICE’s established procedures of secrecy and confidentiality. An advisory posted by ICE on its website — http://www.ice.gov/sevis/tri-valley-110118.htm — guides students on how to go about.
In a brief statement, ICE said it “has taken further steps to ensure SEVP-certified schools and former Tri-Valley students have the information that they need to make informed decisions in light of the ongoing investigation.” SEVP stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Programme, the critical route for foreign students.
Although ICE has not publicly listed all the options, indications are that the decks may be cleared for many students to try their luck by applying to other schools and transferring their F-1 student visas.
But then, it may not be hunky dory for all. As ICE itself grimly points out in its brief advisory, one option could be leaving the US. “When you call, SEVP will provide you with your options, including the option to depart from the United States without an otherwise possibly applicable bar to re-admission in the future,” it says. Besides the students coming from India, a large number of Indians already in India on H-4 dependent visas or studying in other universities had transferred to Tri-Valley University because of its low fees and online class facility. ICE continues to refrain from discussing issues relating to Tri-Valley University and the plight of its students, attributing its stance to the ongoing investigation.
Records of all F-1 students enrolled with Tri-Valley were terminated as of January 18, a day before ICE agents raided the university and shut it down.
–Agencies