Rao writes to Clinton; seeks fair treatment of Indian students

New York, Oct 25: Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao has written to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking her to view the cases of over 1,000 Indian students affected by the ''sham'' Tri Valley University with ''understanding'' and in a ''fair'' manner.

Rao also took up the case of the students, who had enrolled at the California university, with Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Jane Holl Lute on October 24.

In her communication to Clinton, Rao "reiterated that the Indian students of Tri-Valley University have undergone hardship since the closure of the University and their cases be viewed in their totality with understanding and in a fair and reasonable manner," Indian embassy spokesperson Virander Paul said in a statement.

The Embassy of India is continuing its efforts with US authorities for addressing the concerns of the TVU students, it said.

Officials of the Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Citizenship and Immigration Services had met representatives of the Indian Embassy in Washington on October 21 and discussed several issues relating to the Indian students at the Tri-Valley University.

The university was raided and shut down by authorities earlier this year on charges of a massive immigration fraud.

US officials had informed that of more than 1000 students who were being considered for transfer to other universities, 435 transfers were approved, 145 were denied and about an equal number were issued Notices of Intention to Deny (NOIDs).

The remaining transfer cases are still under examination.

US officials had told Indian Embassy officials that cases of students have been "examined individually after evaluating all information provided by the them."

Susan Xiao-Ping Su, the president of the Tri-Valley University, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in May on the allegations of visa fraud and money laundering that affected Indian students.

41-year-old Su, who also served as the school's chief executive officer, is accused of engaging in a two-year scheme to defraud the Department of Homeland Security by submitting phony documents in support of Tri-Valley University's applications to admit foreign nationals on student visas.

PTI