Empty Offices, Indian HR Calling the Shots: ICE Uncovers Rampant OPT Abuse by Foreign Students

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has identified more than 10,000 foreign students , including several from India, allegedly linked to suspicious employment arrangements under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, triggering a wider federal crackdown on visa fraud concerns.

OPT allows international students on a visa programme to work in the United States for 12 to 24 months after graduation and is often used as a pathway to the H-1B visa system sponsored by employers.

Speaking at a press briefing, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the programme has become a major target for abuse. “The OPT component of the student visa programme has become a magnet for fraud,” he said.

Lyons added that investigators uncovered organized misuse spanning multiple states. “We are uncovering evidence of organized fraud that spans national and international borders,” he said, adding that DHS would “relentlessly investigate, disrupt, and refer for prosecution.”

Officials said site visits revealed alarming patterns, including empty offices, locked buildings, and shell companies allegedly claiming to employ hundreds of students. In some cases, multiple companies were found registered at the same address, while showing no real operations.

Investigators also reported instances of offshore or India-based HR and payroll management , raising concerns about compliance with programme rules requiring U.S.-based supervision and training.

Lyons said the programme, originally designed to provide limited practical experience, has expanded far beyond its intent. He described it as an increasingly uncontrolled guest-worker pipeline , warning that the scale of suspected fraud is still under investigation.

Authorities said enforcement actions and deeper audits are ongoing as officials review top OPT employers nationwide.