End work permits for student visa holders who “compete against Americans,” says US senator: Is OPT the next target?

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop issuing work authorizations to student visa holders, warning that the practice violates existing law and jeopardizes national security. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Grassley highlighted that more than 33,000 Chinese students currently hold Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) work authorizations, potentially giving foreign governments access to sensitive technology. “Competition from foreign graduates is contributing to rising unemployment rates among college-educated Americans. This should not be the case. Congress placed caps on employment visas for foreign graduates to ensure that American jobs are filled by Americ