US ICE Crackdown Targets 10,000 Students in OPT Fraud Probe

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a major crackdown on alleged fraud involving approximately 10,000 international students [1, 2].

The investigation targets the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows foreign students to work in their field of study. A systemic failure in the program's oversight has reportedly allowed fraudulent companies to act as shell employers, enabling students to maintain legal status without performing actual work.

Federal officials are focusing on the 24-month STEM OPT extension, where more than 10,000 cases of potential fraud have been identified ^[2]. These schemes often involve fake companies that are allegedly operated from India ^[1]. By providing fraudulent employment documentation, these entities help students bypass the requirement to be employed in a legitimate professional role.

ICE said the OPT program has become a "magnet for fraud" [1, 2]. The agency is intensifying enforcement to stop illegal employment schemes that undermine the integrity of the U.S. visa system.

The crackdown follows reports of a growing network of "consultancy" firms that charge students fees to provide fake job offers. These firms create a paper trail of employment to satisfy government requirements, while the students remain unemployed or work in unrelated fields.

ICE is reviewing the status of the targeted students and the legitimacy of the companies involved. The agency has not yet specified the exact number of arrests or deportations resulting from the probe, but officials said the current findings may represent only a portion of a larger issue.