New Delhi:
The US has promised to protect the interests of hundreds of Indian students at the University of Northern Virginia (UNVA), which was raided yesterday by investigating and law enforcement agencies on charges of visa fraud.
In Delhi, Vishnu Prakash, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said,
'We understand that the US Immigration authorities (ICE) served a notice of intent yesterday, on the University of Northern Virginia (UNVA) to withdraw its authorization. However the university would not be shut down immediately but would be given a one month notice for explanation.
ICE has kept the Indian embassy in Washington DC briefed, as a very large percentage of the 2,400 UNVA students are Indian nationals.
It is further understood that there will not be a mass termination of UNVA students SEVIS records. The US authorities are taking steps to provide necessary information to help the students transfer to other educational institutions in the US or go back to their home countries.
We have impressed upon the US authorities the need to ensure that the students are not victimized in any manner, since they all have valid documents. We have been told that the focus of investigations is not on the students but on UNVA itself.
The ministry and our mission in Washington are closely following the developments and are in the process of obtaining all details in the matter. '