International students in the US on Optional Practical Training (OPT) visas have received a 15-day notice from the government to report their employment information or face possible deportation. The notice, which has sparked fear and uncertainty among students, advises them to update their SEVIS records with employer information to avoid “proceedings to remove them from the United States.”
The OPT Program and Its Importance
Depending on their specialty, international students can work in the US for 12 to 36 months under the OPT program, which is observed as an extension of their education. The program’s “experiential learning and practical training” is valued by participants, who continue to be on student visas. OPT participants contribute to the almost $44 billion that international students will contribute to the US economy overall in 2023–2024, according to NAFSA.
Students get a notification outlining current OPT unemployment laws, which permit a total of 90 days of unemployment over the 12-month OPT duration. However, students and educators are worried that the government may be increasing its surveillance of overseas students as a result of the prospect of deportation.
At least 35 students have been confirmed to have received the notice, but the actual number is expected to be higher. The notice has flashed fear and uncertainty among students, who are worried about their future in the US. According to Matthew Kolodziej, immigration practice partner at Jia Law Group, “It is widely expected that the actual number is significantly higher as the enforcement effort continues to expand.”
According to DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin, individuals should self-deport via the CBP One app if their visa is cancelled. It is unclear, though, if SEVIS terminations will lead to deportations and visa revocations. Kolodziej points out that “while losing SEVIS status means a student is out of lawful status and technically should depart the US, we do not currently see indications that ICE is prioritizing deportation of international students under these circumstances.”
Due to high-profile incidents of students being arrested and confined, the notice has stoked a sense of terror on college campuses across the United States. With overseas students accounting for a sizable portion of the almost $44 billion in total contributions to the US economy in 2023–2024, the OPT program makes a considerable contribution to the US economy. Recent data indicates that when choosing a study abroad program, international students are giving career outcomes and job preparedness top priority.
Students and educators are feeling anxious and uneasy due to the US government’s crackdown on foreign students on OPT visas. The possibility of deportation has raised worries about the future of overseas students in the US, even though the warning describes current procedures. It is yet unclear how the government would carry out its enforcement actions and what effect this will have on foreign students and the US economy as the situation develops.
