ICE arrests 15 nonimmigrant students for OPT-related fraud

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Wednesday preliminary results from Operation OPTical Illusion, a law enforcement operation targeting nonimmigrant students who fraudulently used the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to remain in the United States. OPT enables nonimmigrant students to work in the United States in positions related to their field of study for up to one year, with an additional 24 months if the student participates in STEM optional practical training.

The operation, which is ongoing, resulted in the arrest of 15 nonimmigrant students who claimed to be employed by companies that don’t exist.

“Today’s announcement is just another example of the Trump Administration not only putting America first but making sure the laws of our immigration system are enforced,” said Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli. “Every instance of fraud is a job an American worker could have had, and with so many Americans looking for work this crime is even more unacceptable.”

“ICE has a system of checks in place to mitigate fraud and is committed to protecting national security by ensuring that students, visitors, and schools comply with U.S. immigration laws,” said ICE Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tony Pham. “These latest arrests demonstrate that the agency is actively targeting individuals who try to exploit the student visa system.”

The 15 arrests took place in and around Boston, MA; the Washington, DC area; Houston, TX; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Newark, NJ; Nashville, TN; as well as Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, PA, and included 11 Indian nationals, two Libyan nationals, one Senegalese national and one Bangladeshi national.

The agency will continue to vet students who gained new employment through OPT for compliance with their nonimmigrant status. Any identified leads will be reviewed for potential future enforcement.

LAW & ORDER

USCIS is sending OPT / work permit cancellation notices to around 700 folks today

3 minutes ago, Jilchika said:

USCIS is sending OPT cancellation notices to around 700 folks today

Confirmed news or speculation? 

3 minutes ago, zarathustra said:

Confirmed news or speculation? 

Confirmed. Listen to this towards the end

 

whats the fraud ??

8 minutes ago, Jilchika said:

Confirmed. Listen to this towards the end

 

chala mandi h1 vallaki kuda chesaru and evo proofs pampithe malli revert chestaru back ki 

15 minutes ago, Jilchika said:

USCIS is sending OPT / work permit cancellation notices to around 700 folks today

1100 not 700

Not anta kaadu. Anta nijam

6 minutes ago, Dabbakai said:

whats the fraud ??

F1 lo andharu chesedhey job lekapoina OPT apply cheyadam 

1 minute ago, tom bhayya said:

F1 lo andharu chesedhey job lekapoina OPT apply cheyadam 

ohhh job lekundaaa applying anteee .... consultency vadu job offer isthadu gaaa???

2 minutes ago, sri_india said:

ohhh job lekundaaa applying anteee .... consultency vadu job offer isthadu gaaa???

Not all 

2 minutes ago, sri_india said:

ohhh job lekundaaa applying anteee .... consultency vadu job offer isthadu gaaa???

Ala cheyya kudadu and continuous pay vundali second opt lo or Job lekapothe vunda kudadu.

Enduku van chesaru consultancy vaadu offer letter ivvaledha

5 minutes ago, tom bhayya said:

Not all 

 

3 minutes ago, accuman said:

Ala cheyya kudadu and continuous pay vundali second opt lo or Job lekapothe vunda kudadu.

mana desi consultency lu chesee pani idhee kadha ... tax lu run chestharu , job offers istharu kadha??? mari 1100 anteee inka telugu TV channels dummu reputhayi 

DHS Announces OPT Enforcement Moves, Opening 1,100 jobs for Citizens

 

By David North on October 21, 2020

The Department of Homeland Security has taken moves against 1,100 Optional Practical Training (OPT) workers — 99 percent of them alumni of U.S. colleges — who are holding U.S. jobs but are out of status and thus depriving 1,100 U.S. citizens and green card holders of employment. (The other 1 percent is still in school.)

Acting Deputy Secretary of DHS Ken Cuccinelli announced these actions at a press conference on October 21.

Cuccinelli said that in 700 cases the work permits for these workers were revoked; in another 400 cases, in which the work permits were about to expire, they will expire and not be renewed. In addition, some of the college officials involved, referred to as "designated school officials", will be removed from these posts where they (more or less) supervise the OPT workers, most of whom are working off campus.

The OPT program, as we have reported frequently (see here and here) not only makes it possible for alien grads of U.S. colleges and universities to work either one or three years after graduation while still on student visas, it gives their employers a substantial subsidy for hiring these aliens (rather than Americans) because the employer is excused from paying the normal 8.1 percent in payroll taxes. Thus, America's ailing and aged are paying these employers' subsidies because the payroll taxes fund our Social Security, Medicare, and federal unemployment insurance trust funds.

I missed the first few minutes of the press conference but in the last 90 percent of it I heard no mention of these subsidies, a subject rarely discussed either by the government or the media.

Although Cuccinelli was not specific about why these 1,100 actions were taken, I have the impression that DHS noticed that the workers were not (as they are supposed to be) working in fields related to their university training.

It is useful that DHS has taken these steps against a small percentage of the OPT workers who apparently are not in status, but it would make even more sense to eliminate the program completely, as it has no legislative basis and takes something like $2 billion a year out of the trust funds, while denying 200,000 or so American college grads jobs.