US: ICE issues warning to international students regarding SEVIS terminations

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued warnings to international students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) visas, stating that failure to report employment within 90 days of starting their OPT could lead to termination of their legal status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and potential deportation proceedings.

According to a report by Inside Higher Ed, at least 35 students have received such notices, with one university reporting that 28 of its students were affected. The letters, similar to those sent during the Trump administration in 2020, now include signatories from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, in addition to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

Students on OPT are permitted a total of 90 days of unemployment within a 12-month period. Failure to report employment status within this timeframe may result in SEVIS record termination and initiation of removal proceedings.


This development follows recent policy updates that expand ICE's authority to terminate SEVIS statuses, resuming efforts to deport student visa holders weeks after restoring the statuses of thousands of students, as per the report by Inside Higher Ed.

The impact of these warnings on students with STEM OPT extensions remains unclear. University officials and international student advisers are closely monitoring the situation and advising affected students accordingly.