
ICE arrests 90 more students at fake university in Michigan - ericzawo
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/11/27/ice-arrested-250-foreign-students-fake-university-metro-detroit/4277686002/
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Aperocky
So the US homeland of Security set up a fake university, put it in the
official accreditation website, and then arrest international students when
they apply and join? WTH?

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Kailou
Yeah i think i'm reading that wrong, but it seems like the students are
attempting to study in the country and applying to University through legal
means, then getting deported as it's a fake university.

I'm clearly missing something here.

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rufus_3
The "students" were enrolling in a university that had "had no teachers,
classes, or educational services" as a means to game the F-1 visa program.
Their goal was to falsely claim they were enrolled in education in order to
avoid deportation.

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justinclift
The article should probably have lead with that. ;)

This bit though, seems kind of sick:

> ... in some cases, students who transferred out from the University of
> Farmington after realizing they didn't have classes on-site, were still
> arrested.

Sounds like they went after students who realised it was fake then transferred
to a real Uni too. That's not good.

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olliej
Presumably because by deporting them it becomes harder for the victims to get
back the money they were defrauded out of.

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yumraj
Isn't this entrapment? [0]

If so, any self-respecting judge should have allowed the students to stay or
at least refund their money back plus some more...

[0] [https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/entrapment-
basics-33...](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/entrapment-
basics-33987.html)

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jka
There's more information on the background of the university on Wikipedia[0],
and also archived copies of their website and admissions policy on the
Internet Archive[1].

[0] -
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Farmington](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Farmington)

[1] -
[https://web.archive.org/web/20170302161735/http://university...](https://web.archive.org/web/20170302161735/http://universityoffarmington.edu/admissions.html)

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lm28469
> the University of Farmington was later revealed to be a creation of federal
> agents

> which cost about $12,000 on average in tuition and fees per year.

> The fake university is believed to have collected millions of dollars from
> the unsuspecting students.

Between that and half of the current US gov being corrupt to an unprecedented
level I wonder were all the "A well regulated militia is necessary to the
security of a free State" guys are. This is 1970s eastern europe level of
power abuse.

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fivethr33
The "well regulate militia" loves and supports Trump.

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diebeforei485
Lots of info in this interview:
[https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/why-d...](https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/why-
department-homeland-security-business-setting-fake-universities)

Because a very small % of folks are prone to fraudulent behavior, this is
actually a effective way to root it out.

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zb1plus
Our tax dollars at work... It sickens me that the Federal Government is
allowed to waste money on this type of things while there are people dying
from a lack of access to insulin here in the the USA becasuse of the cost. Why
not simply let people come and work here if they so choice and use the taxes
we collect to support our failing education and social services system.
#AbolishICE

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Jamwinner
Border security is not casual racism. Nobody takes seriously a notion to stop
having borders in a nation literally defined by them. While many actions of
the current system are reprehensible, the response is reform, or even a clean-
sheet design. But loss of sovergnity is not on the table.

~~~
VistaBrokeMyPC
Thank you, and well said. It bothers me when I get called a racist and a
xenophobe for saying that border security is necessary, but the current admin
has taken it too far. It's not black and white! We can't let _everyone_ in.
That just doesn't work - some security is necessary. Turning people away for
vague reasons or race/country of origin when they otherwise would be let in is
a whole other can of worms though.

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pkaye
I feel like they should have "safe harbor" provision where if student report
fake universities on first being aware, they should be able to safely transfer
to another university.

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anderber
This can't be the best use of resources or money in our gov...

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abduhl
The article says that they received millions in tuition payments from these
students so it sounds likely the program is at least partially self funding.
In which case, this is a great use of government money.

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olliej
Yes, it turns out theft by the government is very profitable when the
government chooses not to charge itself with theft.

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pryffwyd
If such fake universities exist, why aren't these resources being spent to
identity and shutter them instead? If they don't, why manufacture this
elaborate heist instead of deporting the students in the first place when
their visa ran out? Wouldn't it be more cost effective to just pore through
immigration records and do some on-site checks to find a "real fake
university" than to create one?

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lm28469
> but since the University of Farmington was later revealed to be a creation
> of federal agents

