U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, more commonly known as ICE, is being accused of setting up a fake university as part of a sting operation. The University of Farmington, which was located in Southeast Michigan, was used as a bogus operation and “pay to play” scheme according to a report from the Washington Post.
The fake university allegedly collected thousands of dollars from prospective students and led to the arrest of dozens of undocumented immigrants who were hoping to enroll at the school.
“Located in the heart of the automotive and advanced manufacturing center of Southeast Michigan, the University of Farmington provides students from throughout the world a unique educational experience,” the official website claimed about the school.
Tuition was listed at $8,500 a year for undergraduates and $11,000 a year for graduate students.
However, the Washington Post writes: “The fake university had been set up in 2015 as part of an elaborate sting operation aimed at ensnaring foreign nationals who had initially come to the United States on student visas. Its ‘campus’ consisted of a small office in a corporate park in the northwestern Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills, Mich., with no quad or library in sight.”
The Detroit News added: “it’s unclear how many past or present students could be facing deportation as a result of the sting.”
The news comes at a time when immigration has been a hot topic in American politics so you can be sure this story will begin to circulate once it is picked up by additional major news outlets.
ICE has not yet commented on the reports.