Sixteen Telugu students who arrived in the United States for Master’s courses during the week were deported for alleged discrepancies in visa documentation and other eligibilities for entry as per Student and Exchange Visitor Program

Each of the students will be prohibited to enter the United States for a period of five years for being found inadmissible.

As per reports on Friday, several of the deported students, for lack of documents and pending official formalities, are stuck at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.

According to media reports, the incident took place at three airports in the U.S. – Atlanta, San Francisco and Chicago – between August 12 and 16.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials reportedly checked the students’ documents at random, scrutinised their mobile phone, laptop and social media accounts, and asked them to go back. Media reports showed the deported students’ cancelled visa and related admission forms.

The students, it was stated, were questioned about their education, visa interview, loan, admission help from consultancies, and were detained till they were put on the flight to Delhi the next day.

A female student, deported by officials at Atlanta, spoke to a media outlet and alleged that the Immigration officials’ behaviour was arbitrary, and that they were not responsive, despite producing all the required documentation from the embassy and the university.

The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here saw thousands of students who secured admissions departing last week. The airport authority and the local police in view of the rush and for security purposes due to Independence Day even issued an advisory on the number of people who can accompany a passenger.