How a Little-Known Program for Foreign Students Became Embroiled in a Hot-Button National Debate.

EDUCATIONAL programs; FOREIGN students; GRADUATION (Education); UNIVERSITIES & colleges; SCHOOL enrollment

The article examines how the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows foreign students to work in the U.S. after graduation, has become a central issue in the immigration debate, putting thousands of students at risk of deportation. Topics discussed include the legal challenge to the program, its impact on international student enrollment, and the potential effects on American universities' competitiveness.