Joseph Adlo, who is nominated by President Donald Trump for the post of Director in the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), recently said in a nomination hearing that he wants to eliminate post-graduation alternative practical training (OPT) which is available to international students.One year opt is available to international students, which are extended up to one and two years for students in STEM region. International students performing an academic course placed F -1 visa.During the recent hearing before a Senate Judiciary Committee, when asked about the changes when he led the USCIS, Edlo said, “I think the way the opt has been handled in the last four years, with the help of some decisions from the DC Circuit Court, has been a real problem in the context of misuse of law.”TOI track and report the legal challenges facing the program. The Washington Alliance of Technology Workers (Washtek) first challenged the opt program in 2014. Following a long-bearing battle, in October 2022, the US Court of Appeals (DC Circuit) retained the validity of the opt program and two years of expansion for STEM-OPT. While Washtech sought a review from the US Supreme Court, it was rejected. In other words, the program was valid.During the hearing, Edlo said that he is in favor of removing the capacity of Employment Authorities for F -1 students, when he is in school.According to the immigration attorney, based on his statement, it appears that the intentions are concurrent only with the study of one year of opt (pre-fulfillment opt). The statement has sent alarm bells among the international student community, including those who are willing to study in the US. International students are already under stress due to their sevis status and/or rebellion of the Fi visa, even the district courts are ordering temporary preventive orders in their favor.A bill was also introduced in the House to eliminate opt, but is expected to fall as the number does not add the number to the Senate.Indian student community in the US is important in terms of number. According to the Open Doors report (academic year 2022-23), there were 2.7 lakh Indian students in the US, of which 69,000 Indian students participated in opt programs. Responding to this development, the President of the President’s Alliance and CEO Mirium Feldbalum (a coalition of more than 570 campus leaders) said, “The goal of abolishing the post-graduation opt will reduce the overall ability to recruit and maintain top talent from all over the world. Experienced learning and has long been an important component of education in this country. This includes post-graduation opt opportunities.,“Today, more than 2.4 lakh international students participate in opt, many people in STEM fields. Opt encourages to increase the workforce in communities across America, supporting employers, and to contribute to our economic competition, which encourage to prefer our global and domestic talent. The leader,” said.
