The Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, an important post-study work route for thousands of international students in the US, has once again come under scrutiny after federal authorities alleged large-scale fraud and misuse in the system.
US immigration authorities claim they have identified more than 10,000 foreign students linked to “highly suspect employers” across the country.
In a strongly worded briefing, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons described the OPT programme as a “magnet for fraud” and warned that those found misusing the system could face criminal, civil and immigration-related action.
“Today we are announcing that we have identified over 10,000 foreign students who claim to be working for highly suspect employers. And that’s just among the top 25 OPT employers,” Lyons said.
Immigration lawyers and education experts have long maintained that while fraudulent consultancies and fake staffing arrangements do exist in the OPT ecosystem, a large majority of international students use the programme legally to gain work experience after graduating from recognised US institutions.
The latest crackdown is expected to strengthen long-standing efforts by conservative groups to reduce or even end the OPT programme.
The proposal to cut back OPT had first surfaced during Donald Trump’s earlier presidency in the administration’s 2020 spring agenda.
More recently, in April last year, Congressman Paul Gosar introduced a bill in the House seeking to eliminate the OPT programme.
Gosar argued that OPT “completely undercuts American workers, particularly higher-skilled workers and recent college graduates,” by giving employers a tax incentive to hire cheaper foreign labour in the name of student training.
Following the latest briefing, US Vice-President JD Vance posted on X: “Another great win for our fraud task force. We will not tolerate foreign nationals abusing our visa system at the expense of the American people.”
OPT allows international students on F-1 visas to work in the US for one year after graduation. Students in STEM fields can get an additional 24-month extension beyond the initial 12 months.
This extended STEM-OPT period is particularly opposed by Trump’s hardline supporters, who argue that it takes jobs away from American workers.
According to the latest Open Doors report for 2024-25, around 3.6 lakh Indian students were studying in the US. Of them, nearly 1.4 lakh were participating in the OPT programme, with a significant number believed to be in STEM-OPT.
The latest findings have triggered anxiety among international students, especially Indian students, who form the largest foreign student group in the US.
A major concern is that students, including innocent victims, may be labelled as guilty of fraud based on what many describe as “secret” OPT scam findings by US agencies. The names of the allegedly tainted employers have not been made public.
Under a revised policy, reported earlier by media, notices can be issued to students who had previously worked or are currently working under OPT with blacklisted companies.
Such action could lead to arrest, detention and deportation, even years later, including in cases where the former student is legally employed on an H-1B visa.
According to ICE officials, investigators found alleged employers operating from empty offices, locked buildings, shared addresses and even residential homes, while supposedly employing hundreds of foreign students.
Authorities also claimed that some firms did not maintain proper employment records and showed signs of financial irregularities.
The agency further alleged that some companies listed offshore HR and payroll teams based in India. In certain cases, students who claimed to be working for US firms were allegedly being “trained” by companies operating from India.
ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations unit said it had conducted site visits in states including Texas, Virginia, Georgia, New Jersey and New York.
In one case cited during the briefing, officials claimed that a company reported employing only three OPT workers, while government records showed more than 500 students listing the same firm as their employer.
US authorities also alleged the existence of shell-company networks and “phantom employees” — students who obtained work authorisation documents but allegedly never appeared at the declared worksites.
The issue is now expected to become a major flashpoint in America’s immigration debate, with Indian students likely to feel the pressure the most.
