U.S. Failing to Track Schools in Visa Process, Report Says

New York Times ^ | July 16, 2012 | MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT

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More than one-third of the flight schools in the United States that cater to foreigners are not certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to the Government Accountability Office, raising concerns that the schools are illegally backing student visas although they have no intention of teaching the students to fly.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which oversees the student visa program, keeps such sloppy records that it does not know how many of the 10,000 schools that can submit paperwork for such visas are accredited by the states where they do business, according to a new G.A.O. report. It said 167 of the 434 flight schools in the United States were not accredited by the F.A.A. and could not provide students with the proper documents to show they know how to operate a plane.

The report, which is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, said that even if schools are already under investigation for issuing documents for illegal visas, the customs agency does not have the authority to stop them from issuing more.

Three senators — Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York; Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa; and Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California — asked the G.A.O. in 2011 to investigate how the customs agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, issues student visas.

The senators requested the inquiry after it was revealed that Tri-Valley University of Pleasanton, Calif., had provided foreigners with paperwork for student visas, with no intention of educating them.

After the school was shuttered, roughly 1,000 students, many from India, had their visas taken away and were forced to wear ankle bracelets until their status was resolved. .

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If 9/11 could not make America seriously enforce its immigration laws, what can?

[Vaduz]

When hacks come up missing.