ARTICLE · 09 DECEMBER 2020

Federal District Court Judge Rules OPT Program Is Lawful

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On November 30, 2020, a U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that foreign students can remain in the U.S. to work through the Department of Homeland Security's Optional...

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Key Points

On November 30, 2020, a District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the OPT program is lawful
The ruling follows ongoing OPT litigation since 2014
The OPT program has been supported by the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. universities
Plaintiffs' claims that the OPT program is unlawful were rejected
The judge will issue a final ruling and explanation for his reasoning within 60 days
Existing OPT program rules remain in effect

Overview

On November 30, 2020, a U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that foreign students can remain in the U.S. to work through the Department of Homeland Security's Optional Practical Training (OPT) program after graduating.

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