Overview
- ICE, which announced the findings Tuesday, said more than 10,000 students are tied to “highly suspect” employers among the top 25 companies it reviewed and called the cases the tip of the iceberg.
- Agents reported empty offices, locked doors, residential homes listed as worksites, multiple firms using the same address without leases, offshore HR or payroll, missing employment records, and “phantom” employees who never showed up.
- HSI teams visiting 18 sites in north Texas found coordinated employer clusters with near‑identical websites and shared managers, and a Houston check uncovered an alleged pay‑to‑stay scheme that charged students to maintain status.
- DHS says investigations will continue with tougher vetting at U.S. consular posts overseas and referrals for prosecution, and officials signaled more enforcement actions and potential program changes ahead.
- OPT lets F‑1 students work in jobs tied to their studies for up to 12 months, with a 24‑month STEM extension, and students found in fraud schemes risk visa revocation, loss of work authorization, and denials on future petitions.