A program garnering support from both political sides is threatened by the president’s immigration policies. President Donald Trump’s efforts to terminate a program allowing foreign students to work in the U.S. for a year after graduation face bipartisan opposition. Representatives Sam Liccardo (D-CA) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) have introduced legislation to solidify Optional Practical Training (OPT), enabling international graduates to work in their field for 12 months, with extensions for STEM students up to 24 months.
Launched in 1992, OPT serves as a link between student visas (F-1s) and H-1B visas, intended for international workers in the U.S. However, the Trump administration’s broader legal immigration crackdown places OPT at risk. Liccardo and Obernolte aim to reinforce bipartisan backing for the program, historically unobtrusive and largely unchallenged.
Data from the Institute for Progress shows 56% of international F-1 visa students participated in OPT from 2006 to 2022. It’s more popular among postgraduate students, especially in STEM fields. In 2024 alone, 165,524 foreign students engaged in STEM OPT, with a participation rate of 76% among STEM Ph.D. graduates.
Liccardo, a cosponsor of the bill, stresses OPT’s role in retaining talented graduates in the U.S., describing it as a pathway for them to contribute to the American economy rather than competing abroad. Despite Congress’s stagnant immigration reform, OPT wasn’t legislated but established in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush through the Department of Justice, continued under USCIS within DHS.
Historically, OPT’s regulations have expanded under both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, especially for STEM graduates, allowing up to 36 months of employment. Liccardo highlights the absence of statutory backing for OPT, emphasizing the need for codification amidst administrative efforts to isolate the U.S. from global talent and alliances.
Legal challenges to OPT have persisted for over a decade. The Washington Alliance of Technology Workers sued DHS in 2014 when the Obama administration extended STEM OPT, citing negative impacts on American workers and DHS’s regulatory overreach. Over 100 colleges later warned that ending OPT would complicate competition for international students amid changing U.S. immigration policies.
Joseph B. Edlow, confirmed as head of USCIS, vowed to dismantle OPT, citing mishandling and favoring employment authorization removal post-education. Immigration restriction advocates argue OPT decreases American wages.
Reports suggested potential new regulations to curb OPT in early 2026, but no changes have occurred. Amid nationwide ICE raids, the Trump administration seeks to limit legal migration, including increased H-1B fees and expanded travel bans despite prior statements hinting at green cards for graduated international students.
Liccardo warns that eliminating OPT will have adverse effects on all Americans, especially with China surpassing the U.S. in technology and industry; losing American-educated talent to competitors’ economies is a risk the U.S. cannot afford.