14/05/2026
Important Update for International Students in the USA
During a recent ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) press conference, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons stated that the OPT program has “become a magnet for fraud” and announced ongoing investigations related to suspicious employers and fake work arrangements under OPT/STEM OPT. Reports mention that more than 10,000 international students have been flagged during these investigations.
According to ICE officials, investigators found:
• Empty offices and locked buildings listed as company addresses
• Multiple companies operating from the same suspicious locations
• Fake or shell companies claiming to employ hundreds of students
• Cases where employment records and work locations did not match
This news has created concern among many international students, especially those currently on OPT or planning to apply in the future.
At the same time, this is important to understand:
👉 OPT has NOT been cancelled
👉 Genuine students working legally should not panic
👉 The current focus is mainly on fraudulent employers and fake employment arrangements
Now more than ever, students should be careful about:
✔️ Choosing legitimate employers
✔️ Making sure jobs are related to their field of study
✔️ Maintaining proper SEVIS and immigration records
✔️ Avoiding consultancy scams or fake payroll setups
The USA still offers great opportunities for international students, but immigration compliance is becoming much stricter than before.