In a significant legal development, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned a previous ruling that had dismissed a lawsuit filed by students defrauded by a fake university orchestrated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The decision, issued on June 25, now allows Teja Ravi and other affected students to pursue legal action against the government over the sham institution known as the University of Farmington.
Established as part of an undercover operation in 2015, the University of Farmington made headlines in 2019 when federal authorities in Michigan indicted eight individuals for visa fraud and harboring aliens.
Despite being advertised online, the university offered no genuine classes, curriculum, or faculty, as detailed in court records.
According to court documents, Ravi, originally from India and residing in Houston at the time, alleges he was deceived into enrolling at the fake university and never received reimbursement for his tuition fees.
“The government’s deception was exposed, yet Mr. Ravi and others received neither the promised education nor refunds,” stated the appeals court in its opinion.
Ravi, the lead plaintiff, filed a class action lawsuit citing breach of contract after paying $12,500 in tuition fees to what he believed was a legitimate educational institution.
Additional students mentioned in the lawsuit similarly paid substantial sums — $10,000 and $15,000 respectively — before the operation was revealed.
Initially dismissed by a lower court for lack of subject matter jurisdiction in March, the appeals court’s reversal now reopens the case, signaling a potential legal precedent for students defrauded by government operations.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, has yet to comment on the recent developments or the claims put forth in the lawsuit.
This ruling marks a pivotal step forward for affected students seeking recourse in the aftermath of the University of Farmington scandal.
