A fake university set up by the DHS in a bid to catch out visa overstayers could erode the confidence of genuine international students looking to study in the US.

Speaking with The PIE News , educators, agents and accreditation bodies have said the arrests of 21 education counsellors for visa fraud earlier this month highlights the need for due diligence on both sides of the recruitment process.

A cross party group of US senators has proposed new legislation to stamp out student visa fraud, after a government report found serious flaws within the Student Exchange and Visitor Program, the federal body that oversees the student visa system. It would crack down on those who run bogus colleges and increase oversight of unaccredited colleges among other measures.