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ICE flags 10,000 Indian students over OPT fraud

5/13/2026

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Story summary
  • U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) flagged about 10,000 foreign students, from India, for suspected Optional Practical Training (OPT) misuse.
  • Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said OPT has become a fraud source and a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) focus.
  • Investigators reported espionage, intellectual-property theft, employment fraud and scams targeting elderly Americans.
  • Officials linked the scheme to Indian-origin students, fake office addresses and HR firms with tax liens and lawsuits.