ICE arrests 90 additional foreign students at fake university in Michigan: report

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly arrested an additional 90 foreign students of a fake university in Michigan operated by the U.S. government.

The Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday that the 90 arrests in recent months bring the total number of students arrested for immigration violations through the fake college up to about 250. 

The university was set up as part of a sting that attracted foreign students, mostly from India, and promoted itself as offering graduate education in technology and computer studies, the newspaper reported, citing ICE officials. 

The Detroit office of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations told the paper that about 80 percent of the arrested students voluntarily left the U.S., about 10 percent were ordered to leave, and about 10 percent have filed for relief or are fighting their removal orders. 

Eight others, meanwhile, have reportedly been charged with trying to recruit the students. Seven pleaded guilty and have been sentenced while one other person will be sentenced in January, according to the Free Press. 

Lawyers representing the students have argued the government unfairly trapped them because the Department of Homeland Security’s website listed the university as legitimate. 

According to the Free Press, lawyers representing ICE and the Justice Department have said the students should have known the college was not legitimate because it did not have courses in a physical place. 

ICE did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.