US authorities arrest 21 in fake university student visa scam

A fake university established as part of a sting operation to expose student visa scams has netted 21 suspects in mass arrests carried out by American immigration authorities.

美国移民当局的一个卧底行动——通过建立假大学以揭露学生签证诈骗并进行大规模逮捕，该行动逮捕了21名犯罪嫌疑人。

The detainees were charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud and other offences after their activities were unearthed by the University of Northern New Jersey, a phantom institution set up by the United States department of homeland security.

美国国土安全部设立了一个幽灵机构——北新泽西大学，以帮助揭露签证欺诈的犯罪，这些被拘留的人士被指控犯有签证欺诈和其他罪行。

The “university” had its own website, a Facebook page, a seal featuring the Latin terms “Humanus, Scientia, Integritas”, a plausible menu of business degree options, and the enticing offer of “an exceptional education experience”. Its address was listed at an office in Cranford, New Jersey.

该“大学”有自己的网站，脸书的网页，一则拉丁语的校训“人文性，科学性，整体性”，一个合理的商业学位选择菜单，以及提供“一份精彩的教育经历”。它的地址被列在新泽西州克兰福德的一个办公室。

In reality, it existed only as a homeland security department front aimed at flushing out the methods of criminal networks behind visa fraud and understanding how fake universities work.

事实上，它只存在于国土安全部，目的是为了打击签证欺诈背后的犯罪网络以及了解这些假大学是如何运营的。

Those arrested acted as brokers who allegedly conspired with more than 1,000 foreign nationals, mainly from India and China, to falsely maintain student visas and foreign worker visas through a “pay to stay” scheme. Some of those arrested are naturalised US citizens, while others are legal permanent residents.

被逮捕的人以经纪人的角色，涉嫌招揽主要来自印度和中国的1000多名外国侨民，通过“支付即可留下”的方案来保持他们的学生签证和外国员工签证，这已经促成违法。被逮捕的人中有些是自然的美国公民，而其他一些则是合法永久居民。

They recruited the “students” to the university in order to obtain them student visas knowing they would not have to attend classes. Then, working with people posing as university officials, they charged them fees that allowed them to stay in the US. They also arranged for them to get jobs.

他们招募“学生”进大学，目的是为了让他们获得学生签证，而不需要参加课程。然后，与冒充大学官员的人串通，允许他们留在美国。他们还为这些人安排找工作。

The students willingly participated in the scheme knowing it to be fraudulent, the authorities allege.

这些学生明知是虚假的，却自愿参与该计划，当局指控说。

Undercover agents working on the sting paid the brokers commissions ranging from US1,200 dollars to 2,000 dollars for each “student” they recruited.

卧底特工向经纪人支付他们招募的“学生”每人1200美元到2000美元的佣金。

The university awarded no degrees during the three years it existed, after being set up in 2012. It never had any faculty staff.

这所大学在三年中没有授予任何学位，而它在2012年就存在了。它从来没有任何教职员工。

Some 1,076 “students” falsely enrolled there are to be summonsed to appear before immigration courts and will have their visas revoked, the authorities say.

被违法招募的1076名“学生”被传唤出庭，他们的签证并且会在移民法庭上被撤销，当局官员说。

The sting was set up after the Government Accountability Office criticised the country’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities in 2012 for failing to adequately monitor the verification process under which institutions and individuals obtain student and visitor visas.

2012年政府问责局批评该国的移民和海关执法部官员未能充分监督获得学生和游客签证的机构和个人的核查过程，当局而后成立了该卧底计划。

Investigators say “pay to stay schemes” damage the integrity and reputation of legitimate foreign students while posing a potential national security threat.

调查人员说，“支付即可留下计划”损害了合法外国学生的诚信和名誉，同时对国家安全造成潜在威胁。

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来源:英国每日电讯爱语吧作者:Sylvia