Republicans Immigration International Students
Republicans’ Immigration Letter in support of OPT for International Students
UPDATE: June 2, 2020
We reported in a previous post the potential new restrictions on the Optional Practice Training (“OPT”) considered by the Trump Administration. Now, in a surprise twist, 21 House Republicans sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf urging support of the program.
Columbia University, New York – Photo: Pixybay
Republicans Immigration International Students
This is the kind of plot twist that we like. A few weeks ago, we were learning that restrictions or elimination of the Optional Practical Training program had long been on the regulatory agenda in an attempt to protect jobs for Americans amid COVID-19. The news sparked debate among Republicans, many of whom opposed the idea.
The OPT is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. Eligible students can apply to receive up to 12 months of OPT employment authorization before completing their academic studies (pre-completion) and/or after completing their academic studies (post-completion).
“We write to request your help in ensuring our nation’s ability to attract, educate, and engage with the best and brightest students and scholars from across the world,” begins the June 2, 2020, letter from House Republicans. “In furtherance of the goal, we ask your agencies adopt appropriately streamlined processes to ensure international students can enroll in the fall and preserve the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows our country to globally compete for market share of international students.”
To summarize the letter, Republicans are urging the State Department and Department of Homeland Security to make sure that international students can make it to the United States in the fall and enroll in the OPT program.
1. Getting International Students back to U.S. campuses
“International students and their families contributed approximately $41 billion to our national economy in 2018-2019 alone.” reads the letter. “With the global closure of U.S. embassies and consulates, international students have been unable to schedule visa appointments. College and universities face a potential 25 percent decline in international student enrollment for the fall 2020 term.”
The letter demands measures to get international students back to U.S. campuses, such as a plan to address the expected increase in demand for visa services, including “how U.S. consulates will be able to prioritize and process applications that include F-1 and J-1 visas”.
“We believe several options are available to your agencies including the ability to waive certain interview requirements, prioritize the rescheduling of appointments that were canceled during Covid-19, and create a timely application and renewal process for professors, researchers, scientists, and those that are needed on U.S. campuses when instruction is expected to resume.”
2. Defending the Optional Training Program
The core of the letter is a strong defense of Optional Practical Training: “We urge the administration to publicly clarify that OPT will remain fully intact so we send the right messages abroad about the U.S. as an attractive destination for international students. As countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, China and Australia bolster immigration policies to attract and retain international students, the last thing our nation should do in this area is make ourselves less competitive by weakening OPT. The program is essential to the many international students who desire not just to study in the U.S. but also have a post completion training experience.”
$37 billion
contributed annually by international students
455,000 jobs
direct and indirect jobs created/supported as a result of the economic benefit of international students
3. Restricting the OPT? A not so-easy task
The OPT was established by regulation and would likely require another regulation to accomplish the type of restriction sought by Trump officials. Forbes asked an Immigration attorney: “the most likely action would be the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issuing an interim final rule eliminating or significantly restricting OPT or STEM OPT.” ,said William Stock of Klasko, an Immigration attorney.
In a speech back in 2019, President Trump noted: “Some of the most skilled students at our world-class universities are going back home because they have no relatives to sponsor them here in the United States. And that’s the only way. We want these exceptional students and workers to stay, and flourish, and thrive in America.” We hope that it is still the case.
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Republicans Immigration International Students
