OPT Students Pulled at Airports: Common or Risky?

A student on STEM OPT was returning from a 3-week trip abroad when they were pulled into an interview room at San Francisco Airport. No red flags, no criminal history, no risky countries, and no political background— yet, they were stopped for questioning.

The student claims that officers asked simple questions: where they traveled, why they left, and what their job was. Nothing too aggressive, but it raised doubts in the student’s mind about what he did for this unprovoked interview.

Others are now sharing similar experiences. Some say they were sent for secondary inspection the first time they re-entered on STEM OPT. A few faced it during the airport system outages. But most reassured that this is normal, even though it might be uncomfortable.

DSOs also suggest this is now common. Officers send students for “secondary inspection” not always out of suspicion, but just to avoid holding up the main line, where the questions are usually standard.

Still, considering the current ordeal of F-1 and STEM OPT holders, even a “basic” interview feels like a risk. A short trip can turn stressful in minutes with this routine questioning.