Washington: High-Level Meetings on Tri-Valley University Problem

Murthy Sends Legal Opinion Letter to Indian Government Officials

A request came to Sheela Murthy for a legal opinion letter regarding the Tri-Valley student situation. The letter was sent to Secretary Nirupama Rao, Ministry of External Affairs and S.M. Krishna, Minister of External Affairs. Ms. Murthy’s letter was gratefully received; Ms. Nirupama Rao commenting specifically on its usefulness. The letter describes the relevant intricacies of U.S. immigration law, which should prove helpful to the Indian government in their efforts to resolve the situation.

Murthy Law Firm Held Teleconference for Tri-Valley Students

On February 16th, at the request of the Telegu Association of North America (TANA), the Murthy Law Firm presented a series of Q&As based on the most commonly asked questions that our firm has received from former students of Tri-Valley University and their family members. Answers were provided to questions relating to possible transfers to other U.S. schools, changes from F-1 to other nonimmigrant statuses, issuance of Notices of Appear (NTAs), departure from the United States, and more. The Q&As also included common scenarios and advice on how to minimize negative immigration consequences from F-1 status violations resulting from school closures.

Washington: High-Level Meetings on Tri-Valley University Problem

Indian diplomats are putting official Washington under increasing pressure to resolve the immigration problems facing hundreds of Indian students who were registered at Tri-Valley University in California, after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided the university at the end of January. According to NDTV, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed the Tri-Valley situation with Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna in a phone conversation last Sunday, and “promised to help Indian students” caught in the middle. (See Tri-Valley Case: Hillary Clinton to Meet Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, NDTV India, 15.Feb.2011.) NDTV reports that Mr. Krishna “stressed upon her to find a humanitarian and rapid solution as many students had come on a legal visa and stand to lose out academically and financially for no fault of theirs,” urging Mrs. Clinton “to give students time to shift to some other university.” In response, Mrs. Clinton “agreed to intervene and sort out the matter,” according to NDTV.

NDTV notes that one particular bone of contention was removed just before Mr. Krishna arrived in the United States: the radio tracking tags that ICE had affixed to 18 Tri-Valley students, a measure many in India, as here, considered to be a needless and offensive humiliation.

The Hindustan Times reported that Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao met on Tuesday with Secretary of State Clinton, and that “the U.S. authorities have assured India of a ‘fair’ solution to the plight of the hundreds of students of a university here shut down for allegedly running an immigration scam,” although there were no specifics about what that solution might entail. (See U.S. Promises ‘Fair’ Tri-Valley Solution, by Yashwant Raj, Hindustan Times, 16.Feb.2011.)

A report on Sify.com was likewise short on specifics, noting only that Foreign Secretary Rao raised the Tri-Valley issue with Secretary Clinton and Under Secretary William Burns, relaying the students’ concerns and asking that no adverse consequences be leveled against the students, because most were not involved in illegal activities. (See U.S. Assures India of Fair Solution for Tri-Valley ‘Duped’ Students, by Asif Ismail, Sify.com, 17.Feb.2011.) Sify.com reports that the Indian Embassy plans to work with U.S. consular officials to seek legitimate university placements for former Tri-Valley students. We will keep our readers apprised of any concrete solutions that emerge from these meetings.