US Congress wants students released

Hyderabad: The Congress of the United States has once again come to the rescue of students detained in the ‘Pay to Stay’ trap laid by the US Immigration Customs and enforcement department. The Congress has sought the release of more than 100 students, who are currently detained at more than 30 centres across the US, including almost 20 students in Michigan.

Ms Elissa Slotkin, a representative of the Congress, in a letter said, “It is our understanding that students were not aware that the University in which they had enrolled was fraudulent and their only mistake was to misunderstand a foreign work study program in their pursuit of higher education and career ambition. Indeed, they are not being criminally charged.”

The students in Michigan had a court date on February 12, while the US Congress and the Telugu Amercian Community in the US were concerned about that adequate legal representation was not being rendered to them.

Ms Slotkin further added, “I personally spoke to the Indian Ambassador to alert him to the situation and asked him to work with the Consulate General in Chicago to help secure legal representation for the students. The consulate general confirmed she would secure representation. Beyond that hearing, I have committed to meeting with the ambassador and invited him to Michigan to meet the Indian American Community who is currently helping the detained students.”

The US Congress representatives have once again showed concern over the mass detention of students, a majority of them Indian. “We (Congress) remain concerned for the students’ safety and welfare and our top priority is their release. For these young people to be imprisoned in a foreign country, far from family and home, due to a case of potential entrapment is of course deeply distressing for them and for their families,” the Congress representatives said.

The US Congress has now made it their priority to have these students released from the detention centre. A few representatives are working with officials of the respective department of Immigrations to ensure that these students get legal help.