ICE Investigation Uncovers Widespread Abuse In Student Work Visa Program

May 13, 2026

ICE agents reviewing flagged student visa fraud cases on digital screens

By Joseph Chalfant | Townhall

The Department of Homeland Security has announced that an ICE investigation has identified over 10,000 potential cases of student visa fraud through the Optional Practical Training program.

🚨 HOLY SMOKES. ICE has just announced a jaw-dropping fraud bust, saying 10,000 FOREIGN students are involved in the federal government's Optional Practical Training

There are EMPTY BUILDINGS where HUNDREDS of students should be "working" as part of their ability to be in… pic.twitter.com/vmaKvrcBaT
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 12, 2026

ICE uncovered 10,000+ potential fraud cases in OPT: fake companies, shell employers, and foreign “management” schemes used to keep foreign grads here and undercut American workers.

OPT is not law. It’s a loophole.

End it. Put American graduates first. https://t.co/DKN0gFpZop
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) May 12, 2026

Fraud, more fraud, and fraud on top of that. The fraud within illegal immigration and numerous visa and asylum scandals has not even shown us a quarter of the actual fraud yet. We are massively losing taxpayer dollars, and the democrats want to push back and get rid of ICE. https://t.co/tz7cxiVuP9
— John Fabbricatore (@JohnE_Fabb) May 12, 2026

“Today, we are announcing that we have found over 10,000 who claim to be working for highly suspect employers,” Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said at a press conference. “This is only the tip of the iceberg. Over the past year, we dramatically expanded our oversight of OPT and can report that we found fraud nationwide.”

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