Judge Rules STEM OPT Program Lawful

Feb 1, 2021 | Nonimmigrant Visas

On January 28, 2021, a U.S. district court judge issued a summary judgment order finding that the STEM OPT (Optional Practical Training for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students) program is a valid exercise of authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act. This means that both the 12-month OPT and STEM OPT extension programs are lawful.

The plaintiff, Washington Alliance of Technology Workers, has appealed.

Details:

Subscribe to the WR Immigration Newsletters

Start the RFP Process

Join the Corporate Benchmarking Roundtable

Request an Attorney Consultation

Related Posts:

DHS Issues Final Rule to Modify H-1B Cap Lottery with Selection Process Based on Wage Level; New Administration Likely to Reverse Course

On January 8, 2021, new rules will be published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) impacting the H-1B visa lottery to be held in March 2021.  The “midnight” regulation is scheduled to take effect on March 9, 2021. While this could impact future cap seasons, WR believes that the...

Good News: USCIS Announces Plans to Ease Work Authorization Process for Certain E, L, and H-4 Spouses

Following the settlement agreement in Shergill, et al. v. Mayorkas, USCIS issued policy alert (“Policy”), clarifying details of Employment Authorization for Certain H-4, E, and L Nonimmigrant Dependent Spouses. It addresses recent massive delays in adjudication of employment authorizations documents (EAD) because of USCIS backlogs, resulting in detrimental impact on...