US says deported students failed in immigration interview

The US on Wednesday has conveyed that Indian students, who were deported last week, were denied entry not because of black-listing of two California-based institutions but they failed in the immigration interview.

The students were denied entry based on the assessment made by US immigration authorities of individual applicants, and not because corresponding institutions were “black-listed.”

According to the US government, the deported persons had presented information to the border patrol agent which was inconsistent with their visa status, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an advisory on Wednesday.

Indian officials, however, maintained that American authorities need to honour visas issued by them.

The new advisory comes after the US customs and border protection agency deported multiple groups of Indian students who travelled to get enrolled in the Northwest Polytechnic University and Silicon Valley University in the US.

The US authorities had earlier informed Air India that these varsities were “under scrutiny” and students arriving in San Francisco International Airport to take admission into the institutions were not allowed to enter the US and were deported back to India.

“The US government has conveyed the decision to deny entry to these students is not because of the corresponding institutions being 'black-listed' but based on the assessment made by the US immigration authorities of individual applicants,” says the new MEA advisory.

The ministry advised all Indian students seeking admission in US educational institutions should do due diligence to ensure that the institutions to which they are seeking admission have proper authorisation and capacities.

Apart from travel documents, the students should also carry all required documentation regarding their study plans, housing, financial support and health care arrangements.
They should be be prepared for admission (entry to the US) interviews with immigration officials.

Similarly, all Indian nationals travelling to the US on other visas are also advised to carry the necessary supporting documentations regarding their place of stay, financial support, medical arrangements and sponsorship details.
DH News Service