India protests after 129 students arrested in US immigration authorities

India has made a diplomatic protest to the US after 129 Indian students were arrested for enrolling in a fake university.

The University of Farmington, advertised as based in Michigan state, was run by undercover agents from the Department of Homeland Security to expose "pay‑to‑stay" immigration fraud.

University of Farmington fake website Image caption The sting operation came complete with a fake university website. India has made a diplomatic protest [Photo: BBC]

Prosecutors say those who enrolled knew that the facility would be illegal.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued the protest to the US embassy in Delhi, expressing concern over the arrests and demanding consular access to those detained.

The fake university was set up in 2015 to try to catch foreign nationals who had initially travelled to the US on student visas and wanted to stay in the country.

A website for the University of Farmington showed pictures of students in classes and libraries, or relaxing around a grassy campus.

[Source: BBC]