Hyderabad: The American Telugu Association has come to the rescue of eight Telugu recruiters arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement for violating immigration norms.
ATA set up a conference call for the Indians, especially those who are in need of legal assistance.
That apart, ATA representatives met Indian Ambassador Harshavar-dhan Shingla and Indian consulate general Swati Vijay Kulkarni in Atlanta and sought help.
ATA said ICE had arrested 21 people in 2016 on similar charges. In 2011 and 2012, students, a majority of them of Indian origin, were arrested in a similar operation from Tri Valley University.
The university campus
ATA’s legal teams are speaking to the affected students for legal help and counselling.
The students also got help from the AP government. AP Non-Resident Telu-gus president Dr Vemuri Ravi Kumar said parents of the arrested students need not worry as they were victims and would be released soon.
Dr Kumar said that their organisation, APNRT, had 290 coordinators around the world, 150 of them in the US, and they were ready to provide any help to the students.
He said only 600 out of 2 lakh Indian students living in the US are facing the law. According to information they had, only 15 students pursuing MS had been taken into custody by US security personals along with education consultants who were also from Telugu states.
APNRT chief executive officer Bhavani Shankar said students who go to the US should know the immigration rules and also not forget to know if the university they were going to was genuine or fake.
He said APNRT had arranged a help desk which could be contacted on 08632340678 for 24/7 assistance. For legal assistance they can contact APNRT advocates Sagar Doddi (+1 5104091309) and Ms Madhavi Medi (+1 4324134769) in the US.
He said those who are going to join universities in any country must check its credentials with the APNRT.
