DHS Says More Than 10,000 Foreign Students Linked to Suspicious Employers in OPT Crackdown

The Department of Homeland Security said investigators uncovered thousands of foreign students allegedly tied to questionable employers through the Optional Practical Training visa work program.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that investigators identified more than 10,000 foreign students allegedly working for what officials described as “highly suspect” employers as part of a broader federal crackdown on visa work programs.

According to a statement posted by DHS spokesman Jennie Taer, the agency has significantly expanded oversight of the Optional Practical Training program, commonly known as OPT, during the past year.

“This is only the tip of the iceberg. Over the past year, we’ve dramatically expanded our oversight of OPT,” a DHS spokesman said.

“Many of these employers include NGOs engaged in suspicious activities. We’ve discovered empty buildings and locked doors at addresses where hundreds of foreign students are allegedly employed.”

The Optional Practical Training program allows certain foreign students studying in the United States on visas to obtain temporary work authorization connected to their academic fields.

The program has faced increasing scrutiny from immigration critics and labor advocates who argue the system is vulnerable to abuse and fraud, particularly when combined with broader employment-based visa programs including H-1B visas.

Federal investigators said some listed employment locations appeared inconsistent with legitimate business operations.

“We’ve found small residential addresses listed as work sites for hundreds of foreign students, yet no employees were present,” the spokesman added. “We’re also seeing financial red flags.”

The announcement comes amid intensified efforts by the Trump administration to investigate visa fraud, foreign labor abuses, and employment practices tied to temporary work authorization programs.

Vice President JD Vance praised the findings in a statement posted to X, calling the investigation “[a]nother great win for our fraud task force.”

“We will not tolerate foreign nationals abusing our visa system at the expense of the American people,” Vance wrote.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately release additional details regarding the specific employers under investigation, potential criminal referrals, or possible enforcement actions tied to the findings.

The administration has increasingly emphasized enforcement surrounding visa compliance, employment verification, and immigration-related fraud investigations during Trump’s second term.