The Trump administration is once again threatening international student’s futures as the new immigration nominee has made his intentions clear to end the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program.
Joseph Edlow, Trump’s pick to head USCIS, just told the Senate he wants to kill OPT. That means no work after graduation for F-1 students. For thousands of students, majorly including Indians, that means no opportunity to get work after college.
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This follows the news from last month where a bill was proposed in the Senate to scrap the OPT program altogether. What, at that time, seemed difficult to approve is now slowly turning into a reality.
OPT and STEM OPT are the only lifelines for Indian students as they get 1-2 years after graduation to get work in their field. Without that program, they can only continue to stay in the US if they somehow miraculously find an H-1B sponsor straight away.
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While on the one hand, Trump promised green cards to students after college, Edlow is promising deportation.
But here’s the deal: killing OPT will not only be detrimental for students but also for the economy. Many US universities, tech companies, and startups depend on these programs to hire new employees without committing to H-1B visas.
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Now Students are in panic, wondering whether it is even worth studying in the US anymore. Many believe OPT has been targeted various times since its inception but this is an unprecedented era under an unpredictable Trump. It is better to embrace and be prepared for the worst.
