OPT for international students

The US is a world power and that is the reason why it attracts thousands of foreign students annually, who come to complete their higher education and possibly gain work experience.

Indeed, international students have the possibility to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allows them to obtain a temporary work permit related to their area of study.

Do you have any question regarding your immigration status? Contact Motion Law, schedule your Free phone consultation and follow the advice of experts.

The Trump administration proposes restrictions for foreign students

The current administration of the US, led by President Donald Trump (Republican political party), has tried to implement multiple restrictions for international students, primarily since the arrival of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

On the one hand, President Trump has repeatedly expressed his disagreement with the OPT program because, in his opinion, local companies tend to hire foreign personnel before American workers because their workforce is less expensive. This includes foreign students.

On the other hand, the Trump administration proposed issuing student visas with a fixed period of two years, with the possibility of extension. Normally, international students may stay in the US until they complete their studies, but the current government wants to change this alternative and grant fixed student permits.

In the Trump administration’s view, foreign students take advantage of current permits to reside in the US after they complete their studies, violating local law.

Visit Motion Law’s Blog section and keep up to date with the latest immigration news.

ICE focuses its attention on foreign students

One of the duties of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is to conduct exhaustive investigations to locate immigrants residing unlawfully in the US.

On Wednesday, October 21, 2020, ICE stated that 15 foreign students were detained because they misused the OPT program in order to remain in the US after completing their studies.

“Operation OPTical Illusion” is the name for operations targeting foreign students, since it refers to international students who use the OPT program to reside illegally in the country. This action plan initially started on January 2020.

ICE declares that these students claim to work in companies that do not exist and create fake businesses in order to use the OPT program. Adding to that, ICE openly states: “The arrests we highlight today are just the beginning and should serve as a warning (…) Any non-immigrant student who fails to maintain or violates the terms of their non-immigration status is subject to arrest and removal from the United States.”

The local immigration system is quite robust

Foreigners have a wide range of alternatives to apply for a legal residence permit in the US. To better understand options available for you, we recommend for you to seek reliable help from experts on immigration matters.

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.