THE BOARD OF WESTERN IOWA TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS APPROVED A SETTLEMENT RELATED TO ITS FORMER J-1 VISA PROGRAM.
THE COLLEGE SAYS THE PROGRAM IS NO LONGER IN OPERATION, AND THE DECISION TO SETTLE WAS MADE FOR FINANCIAL REASONS AND NOT AS AN ADMISSION OF WRONGDOING.
THE LAWSUIT ALLEGED THAT CHILEAN STUDENTS WERE RECRUITED IN 2019 IN A TEMPORARY VISA PROGRAM TO LEARN ROBOTICS AND CULINARY SKILLS WHILE WORKING AS PAID INTERNS FOR $15 DOLLARS AN HOUR.
THEY ENDED UP WITH UNSKILLED LABOR JOBS AT A MEAT PROCESSING COMPANY AND A PET FOOD MANUFACTURER, WHERE $7.75 OF THEIR WAGES WERE PAID TO THE COLLEGE FOR HOUSING, TUITION AND FEES, LEAVING THEM WITH MINIMUM WAGE JOBS OF $7.25 AN HOUR.
THE ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE COLLEGE SAYS THE SETTLEMENT TO 13 STUDENTS FROM CHILE WAS FOR A TOTAL OF THREE MILLION DOLLARS.
SCHOOL PRESIDENT DR. TERRY MURRELL ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING “THE SCHOOL IS PLEASED TO HAVE THIS MATTER RESOLVED, AND THAT “THE COLLEGE’S ENROLLMENT AND FINANCES ARE STRONG, AND THIS MATTER WILL NOT IMPACT OR INFLUENCE THEIR PROGRAMS OR FUTURE PLANS.”
THE COLLEGE’S STATEMENT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THE J1 VISA PROGRAM DID NOT MEET ITS HIGH STANDARDS, BUT STRONGLY DENIES THE PLAINTIFFS’ ALLEGATIONS.
THOSE ALLEGATIONS INCLUDED HUMAN TRAFFICKING VIOLATIONS, FORCED LABOR AND DEBT BONDAGE, PLUS FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION AND BREACH OF CONTRACT.
THE COLLEGE SAYS ALL STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM WERE FREE TO LEAVE AT ANY TIME AND THE COLLEGE OFFERED EACH OF THEM A PLANE TICKET HOME WHEN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BEGAN.
THERE’S AN ADDITIONAL LAWSUIT THAT REMAINS IN LITIGATION.
THE COLLEGE’S ATTORNEY SAYS THE OUTCOME OF THAT LAWSUIT IS UNRELATED TO THIS DECISION.
