ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Five U.S. senators are calling for a federal crackdown on what they say are phony colleges handing out student visas to potential criminals and terrorists.

Sens. Diane Feinstein of California, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Jon Tester of Montana, Bill Nelson of Florida and Charles Schumer of New York say the colleges are fronts for people who pay to illegally enter the United States.

The Democrats are calling on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Department of Homeland Security to share information that could help identify the fake colleges.

The senators note that several of the Sept. 11 terrorists entered the United States on student visas. They also cite recent incidents in California and Florida of schools accused of being involved in the scheme.