WASHINGTON — On July 30, Michelle Hackman of the Wall Street Journal exclusively reported that the Trump Administration was considering a step that could, effectively, terminate merit-based legal immigration. The plan is to charge a $100,000 fee for international students to use the controversial Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to work in the country.
OPT has been in the crosshairs of conservatives for years. They claim the program takes jobs away from American workers and allows unfettered legal immigration. Support for the program, by contrast, brings together progressives, businesses, and industry, who argue that it’s a lifeline for top talent to stay in America and support cutting-edge innovation.
As MAGA fights against all forms of immigration, mass deportation raids by ICE and the deaths of migrants in custody are getting the most attention. But the challenge to OPT is an underrated threat to documented law-abiding immigrants. If successful, the assault could have massiv…
