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.

近日，美国移民当局开展了一项卧底行动，即通过创办假大学以揭露学生签证诈骗并进行大规模逮捕。据悉此次行动逮捕了21名犯罪嫌疑人。

The detainees were charged with conspiracy¹ to commit visa fraud and other offences after their activities were unearthed² by the University of Northern New Jersey³, a phantom⁴ institution set up by the United States department of homeland security.

美国国土安全部创办了一个幽灵机构——北新泽西大学，以帮助揭露签证诈骗的犯罪，这些被拘留的人士被指控犯有签证诈骗和其他罪行。

The "university" had its own website, a Facebook page, a seal featuring the Latin terms "Humanus, Scientia, Integritas", a plausible⁵ menu of business degree options, and the enticing⁶ 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，以及一则拉丁语的校训"人文性，科学性，整体性"，一个合理的商业学位选择菜单，还提供"一份精彩的教育经历"。它的地址是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诈骗背后的犯罪网络，以及了解这些假大学是如何运营的。

Those arrested acted as brokers⁷ who allegedly conspired⁹ 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.

被逮捕的人通过经纪人的角色，涉嫌协助来自印度和中国的1000多名外国侨民，通过"付学费换居留"的骗局，来获得他们的学生签证和外国劳工证。被逮捕的人中有些是美国公民，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. The students willingly participated in the scheme knowing it to be fraudulent, the authorities allege⁸.

他们招募"学生"进大学，目的是为了让他们不需要参加课程而获得学生签证，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。当局指控称，这些学生明知是虚假的，却自愿参与该计划。

The university awarded no degrees during the three years it existed, after being set up in 2012. It never had any faculty¹⁰ staff. Some 1,076 "students" falsely enrolled¹¹ there are to be summonsed to appear before immigration courts and will have their visas revoked¹², the authorities say.

这所大学在三年中没有授予任何学位，而它在2012年就存在了且从来没有任何教职员工。当局官员表示，被违法招募的1076名"学生"被传唤出庭，他们的签证会在移民法庭上被撤销。

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.

在2012年美国政府问责局批评移民与海关执法局官员未能充分监督获得学生及游客签证的机构和个人的核查过程之后，该卧底圈套正式设置。

Investigators¹³ say "pay to stay schemes" damage the integrity and reputation of legitimate¹⁴ foreign students while posing a potential national security threat.

调查人员表示："付学费换居留"损害了合法外国学生的诚信和名誉，同时对国家安全带来了潜在威胁。