Trump is threatening international students, and a new bill could help stop him

"A bipartisan duo is pushing back on President Donald Trump's attempts to end a program that lets hundreds of thousands of foreign students work in the US for a year after graduation. Reps. Sam Liccardo (D-CA) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced a bill that would codify Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allows international students to work in their field of study for 12 months, with extensions of up to 24 months for STEM students."

"OPT was introduced in 1992 and functions as a sort of bridge between student visas, or F-1s, and H-1Bs, the visa category issued to foreign nationals who work for US companies. But OPT is now under threat from the Trump administration, which has floated the possibility of doing away with it altogether as part of its broader crackdown on legal immigration."

"Between 2006 and 2022, 56 percent of the international students who entered the country on F-1 visas enrolled in OPT, according to data from the Institute for Progress. Students with postgraduate degrees are more likely to enroll in OPT than those with bachelor's degrees, and those in STEM fields are more likely to use the program to find work in the US than other fields."

Representatives Sam Liccardo (D-CA) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced a bill to codify Optional Practical Training (OPT), a program established in 1992 that permits international students to work in their field of study for 12 months, extendable to 24 months for STEM students. OPT serves as a bridge between F-1 student visas and H-1B work visas. The Trump administration has threatened to eliminate the program as part of its broader legal immigration restrictions. Between 2006 and 2022, 56 percent of international F-1 visa holders participated in OPT, with higher enrollment among postgraduate and STEM students. The bipartisan effort aims to preserve support for a program that previously faced minimal opposition from either political party.

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