Confirmation hearing reignites criticism of unnecessary foreign worker program (OPT)

President Trump’s NumbersUSA-endorsed pick to lead U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) told the Senate Judiciary Committee this week that he would like to “remove the ability for employment authorisations for F-1 students beyond the time they are in school.” Specifically, Edlow called the Optional Practical Training program (OPT) a “misapplication of the law”.

Ending the OPT program is one of NumbersUSA’s top goals for guest worker programs.

The OPT program is one of the most widely-used guest worker programs despite never being approved by Congress. Employers who hire OPT workers instead of Americans don’t have to pay payroll taxes.

Rep. Paul Gosar (AZ-09) has introduced a Great Immigration Solutions bill to end the OPT program, H.R. 2315.