Two educational institutions have denied reports that they have been "blacklisted" by the US government after some students from India were deported last week, and others not allowed to board their Bay Area-bound flights.
Both schools, Silicon Valley University (SVU) in San Jose and Northwestern Polytechnic in Fremont, said there was heightened security at the institutes due to recent terrorist attacks and advised the students to bring proper documentation to the airport.
"Recently there are some rumour on SVU has been targeting to proceed extra screening measures or even alleging SVU has been 'blacklisted'," the university said in a website alert.
"These rumours are absolutely false. SVU is valid educational institution. Students at SVU are not being targeted and safe to study in the US."
"Due to the recent Paris attack and unseen terrorist activities, the US Customs and Border Protection are implementing stricter security measures, which is not specific to SVU but everyone entering the US," it said.
The NPU in a website post assured "NPU students, families, and friends" that "in light of the recent false reports by the media", it was doing its best to clear NPU's name and fight for their rights.
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NPU said it had demanded that Air India allow all NPU students to board and will contact any airline that causes such problems for our students.
It had also contacted US immigration officials and were seeking officials and media in India.
"We have learned that a small percentage of international students are being sent back to India, but only those that fail their immigration interviews," NPU said.
Some of the deportees, for example, communicated "that they are coming to the US to work illegally or are unable to show sufficient identification or financial support".
"In no situation have we seen specific questions directed about NPU," it said asking the students to "not let the media fool you into believing that their deportation is an NPU issue."
NPU said it had "learned that upon arrival, international students from India, regardless of where they are studying, are being questioned extensively regarding their interest in studying and ability to pay for their studies and living expenses.
A representative with US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement cited by San Jose Mercury News said the agency could not comment on the matter.
But he noted that both schools are on the list of institutions approved for the Department of Homeland Security's Student and Exchange Visitor Programme.
In New Delhi, the government on Wednesday issued an advisory to Indian students to perform due diligence before joining any institution in the US after 14 students from India were deported last week and 19 others not allowed to board their Air India flights.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)