by M Dowling, Independent Sentinel:
Calling the OPT program a ‘magnet for fraud,’ ICE director Todd M. Lyons said the agency uncovered irregularities involving nearly 10,000 foreign students participating in the federal government’s Optional Practical Training program. It is a fake jobs program.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Tuesday that the Operational Practical Training program, known as OPT, has “become a magnet for fraud” with foreign students claiming employment from “highly suspect employers,” Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said. He described the controversy at a press conference, noting that the program allows foreign students to work in their field of study for up to 1 year while attending school.
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Federal investigators say OPT fraud has exploded nationwide. ICE was shocked when they visited worksites that allegedly employ the foreign students. The buildings were empty, with their doors locked. Students were supposed to be working there, but they weren’t. There were no employers.
Some small homes were also listed as worksites for hundreds of foreign students. They also had no employees present. When someone answered the door at one of the residences, they said they had no knowledge of the business.
Other alleged employers claimed to have offshore HR and payroll personnel. Many of the employers had tax liens, civil lawsuit collections, and breaches of contract on their records.
It Was Deliberate and Criminal
In some instances, foreign students who obtained work permits through the OPT program never showed up for the jobs they claimed to hold. Lyons said the fraudulent activity was “deliberate, coordinated, and criminal,” vowing that “more actions are forthcoming.”
“DHS will relentlessly investigate, disrupt, and refer for prosecution anyone who exploits our programs. We have intensified our vetting at consular posts overseas, targeting trafficking, forced labor, document fraud, and unauthorized employment among student visa applicants,” Lyons said.
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