Photo credit: Immigration Impact

The University of Farmington was a fake school in the Detroit-area set up to target and identify undocumented immigrants who were trying to obtain fraudulent student visas. They were participating in a “pay-to-stay” arrangements.

The university was advertised as a “nationally accredited business and STEM institution” on its website page.

This was a sting operation that started in 2015 and intensified in 2017 after Trump’s inauguration. Eight people have been arrested and charged for “conspiracy to commit visa fraud and harboring aliens for profit”. They collectively took $250,000 in exchange for helping 600 other students get the paperwork they need to be able to stay in the country.

They are facing a maximum of five-years in prison. The other students participating in the fraud who were arrested are facing deportation.