As restrictions lessen on collegiate athletes' ability to be
compensated for their name, image, and likeness (NIL),
international student-athletes in F-1 status continue to be at risk
if they pursue these economic opportunities. On April 29, 2024, a
bipartisan group of U.S. senators penned a letter to Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to push the
agency to bring international athletes into the fold.
According to Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Christopher
Murphy (D-Conn.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and Shelley Moore Capito
(R-W. Va.), DHS can provide a simple solution:
While many students have rightfully benefitted from
these new [NIL] opportunities, international college athletes and
college athletic programs face a credible risk that even the most
basic NIL deal could violate the work restrictions of the F-1 visa.
DHS could clarify that the F-1 visa program does not prevent a
student from engaging in NIL related activities