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Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Why are Edlow and Vaughan calling OPT illegal? Here's the real story
OPT faces mounting legal and political attacks, putting the future of 200,000 international graduates at risk. In the quietly panicked corridors of international education policy, a storm is gathering around the United States' Optional Practical Training (OPT) program—and for once, it's not hyperbole to say that the damage may already be done. The numbers are stark, the policy narrative even starker. According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) SEVIS 2024 report, over 194,554 international students received work authorisation under OPT last year. Of these, a staggering 95,384 secured extensions under the STEM OPT provision. And standing at the centre of this tectonic shift are Indian students, who account for nearly 98,000 of those OPT authorisations during the 2023–24 cycle, as confirmed by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. But now, the very scaffolding of this bridge—from academic promise to professional foothold—is under coordinated assault by voices both influential and ideological. Leading the charge are Jessica Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies at the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), and Joseph Edlow, the newly confirmed Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Both have testified before Congress in 2025 that OPT is not only legally suspect but structurally dangerous. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologists Beg: Take These 4 Ingredients Before Bed to Burn Fat The Healthy Way Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola The rhetoric may be wrapped in legalese, but the intent is clear: Dismantle the post-study work rights that have long made U.S. degrees a prized aspiration for international—and particularly Indian—students. What's at stake is more than immigration. It is the erasure of a pipeline that has quietly underwritten America's dominance in global tech and innovation. Edlow and Vaughan 's case against OPT: Congress didn't sign it, so let's burn it At the core of the campaign to dismantle the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program lies a foundational dispute—not merely about visas or foreign labour, but about who gets to define the boundaries of lawful work in postsecondary America. And in this ideological contest, Jessica Vaughan and Joseph Edlow have emerged as the architects of what they frame as a long-overdue correction. Their argument is deceptively simple: OPT is not law—it is regulation. Worse, they claim, it is unregulated regulation, sustained not by statute but by administrative inertia and legal loopholes. In her detailed testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee in June 2025, Vaughan—Director of Policy Studies at the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS)—delivered a withering critique of what she called 'the largest unregulated guest worker scheme in the United States.' Drawing from internal data sets provided by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, Vaughan revealed that over 540,000 work authorisations were granted under OPT and CPT (Curricular Practical Training) in FY2023 alone. This, she argued, was not just administrative generosity—it was regulatory anarchy. In her words, OPT had "spawned an industry of diploma mills, fake schools, bogus training programs, and illegal employment." According to her testimony, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)—the body meant to oversee the legitimacy of these academic affiliations—was too chronically under-resourced to vet the scale of demand. The result, she concluded, was a parallel ecosystem of academic storefronts and training programmes designed not for learning, but for visa preservation and labour substitution. But perhaps her sharpest critique was constitutional in tone. OPT, she reminded the Committee, is not authorised by the US Congress. It was created as an extension of executive rulemaking, first formalised under the Bush administration and later expanded under Obama. 'There has never been a vote in Congress,' Vaughan noted, 'to allow hundreds of thousands of foreign graduates to work on US soil under this program. ' Edlow, a former Trump-era official brought back to restore 'legal fidelity' to immigration enforcement, seconded the legalistic rebuke. In multiple briefings before the Senate and in internal USCIS memoranda from April–June 2025, Edlow contended that the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) makes no provision for post-completion work for F-1 visa holders. "The INA is unambiguous," he said. "Student visas are for study—not for work after graduation. " He took particular aim at the 2023 D.C. Circuit Court ruling, which upheld the legality of OPT and its STEM extension. The decision, Edlow claimed, rested on an 'erroneous reading of statutory intent'—one that unjustifiably enlarged the executive branch's power to define immigration eligibility criteria without congressional consent. In his congressional appearances and in internal DHS documents, Edlow has further proposed reorienting USCIS enforcement priorities. Specifically, he has called for an expanded role for the Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) directorate in vetting OPT applicants and employers—a move that signals a coming compliance-heavy era, where student employment records could be re-audited, revoked, or flagged for deportation if found wanting. Both Vaughan and Edlow converge on the same policy prescription, stated either in soft legalism or hard numbers: The OPT program must either be terminated outright or restricted so severely that it becomes operationally nonviable for most international graduates. In other words, OPT must be stripped of its current utility to ensure it cannot continue under the guise of administrative legitimacy. What really lies beneath Edlow and Vaughan's constitutional and legal arguments? Behind Edlow and Vaughan's polished legal rhetoric lies a deeper mission—one that has less to do with statutes and more to do with reshaping America's relationship with global talent. Woven beneath the testimony is a broader, more ideological belief that international student mobility has been hijacked by corporate interests, and that foreign graduates are now indistinguishable from guest workers, hired to circumvent wage floors, sidestep payroll taxes, and bypass labour market tests that would otherwise favour American graduates. To this end, Vaughan and Edlow's critique is not merely of OPT as policy, but of OPT as economic architecture—an invisible scaffold that supports tech giants, universities, and global talent mobility. For them, removing that scaffold is not disruption. It is restoration. Come, pay, tuition and leave What Edlow and Vaughan propose is more than a policy fix—it is a structural decoupling of education from employability, one that threatens to return the F-1 visa to a narrow, transactional instrument: come, pay tuition, and leave. It is this return to pre-globalisation thinking that most alarms educators and economists alike. And it is this version of 'legal clarity' that could leave hundreds of thousands of students—including the 98,000 Indian graduates currently working under OPT—on the edge of a bureaucratic cliff, with no safety net beyond the 90-day unemployment cap. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
NDTV
3 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Will IPL money Via The Hundred Route Rescue Financially Struggling County Cricket Clubs?
Will the investment by IPL owners in The Hundred competition ease the financial struggles of the majority of 18 county clubs in England? It is a "make or break" question facing the struggling clubs in the county circuit right now. According to the recently-released Leonard Curtis Cricket Finance Report, the gap between the top clubs and the smaller ones is widening with the big three -- Surrey, Lancashire and Warwickshire -- generating 44 per cent of the total revenue of all 18 first-class counties in 2023. The smaller clubs like Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire are hugely reliant on the funding from the parent body -- the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The sale of equity in the eight franchises of The Hundred is expected to raise approximately 520 million pounds, a part of which would be shared with the county clubs. The ECB decided to sell stakes of the eight franchises ahead of The Hundred's fifth season that begins on August 5, day after the conclusion of the Test series between India and England. Four out of the eight teams have attracted investments from IPL franchise owners connected to Mumbai Indians (49 per cent of Oval Invincibles), Sunrisers Hyderabad (100 per cent of Northern Supercharges), Delhi Capitals (49 per cent of Southern Brave) and Lucknow Super Giants (70 per cent of Manchester Originals). The other four teams -- Welsh Fire, Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets -- have drawn huge sums from American investors. The eight counties hosting The Hundred teams, including the hosts of Test matches in the summer, are sitting pretty but the majority of the remaining 12 face an existential threat. "The Hundred money allows the 18 first-class counties to look to the future rather than simply survive from one summer to the next," said former England captain Michael Vaughan in the report. "I would like to see counties being transparent with each other and sharing knowledge about what works for them. Sometimes petty rivalries prevent that from happening and divisions between the Test host counties and the others develop." In a separate interaction with PTI, Vaughan said the fresh investments into The Hundred would help England produce better cricketers. "There is an expectation that it's (Hundred investments) going to help County cricket. What it does do is help England produce better players because some of our players go to the IPL and mix with some of the legends of the game and coaches and they come back better players. "The IPL is not going to move and it's not going to get any smaller, so the game is going to accelerate," he said, referring to the money pumped in by the IPL teams. Stuart Cain, CEO of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, believes the fresh influx of cash in English cricket will help all 18 counties but in the long run they need to develop multiple revenue streams. "In its most simplest form, that money will help red-ball cricket and T20 cricket thrive in all the counties, not just the eight franchises where there are teams. "So, if you're a Worcestershire or Northamptonshire or Leicestershire where you don't have a Hundred team, but you have that money, you can build better stadiums, which will attract more fans, give them a better experience. So, they want to come back again," Cain told PTI. "It allows you then to create more money, which you can invest in the squad, which means that you can employ better red-ball players. If we can make it even more attractive through the investment from The Hundred money, then I think that the 18 counties will all benefit and the game in general will benefit." Cain said there is also plenty to learn on the operation front from the IPL biggies besides stressing on the important of creating different revenue streams for clubs that don't have teams in The Hundred. "What's great with The Hundred is four of the teams have got IPL investment and four have got predominantly American US investment. So there's a nice mix here. We can learn a lot from the IPL. "So, the investors are operating in those global franchise environments can help us build The Hundred competition. We've got a strong T20 tournament already in the Blast. So what we need to do is make sure that it stays really strong and healthy and that The Hundred stays different," Cain said. "Being straight, county cricket doesn't make money. So what we have to make sure is that through The Hundred money, the venues that aren't playing Hundred cricket can take the Hundred money and invest it in their stadiums." For example, Cain is building a new on-site hotel at Edgbaston for an additional revenue stream through the year. "All those things will then drive more money into the pockets of the county to then invest back into county cricket and to the Blast," said Cain. Because of the financial crunch, the quality of cricket in county circuit has been impacted. With more cash in hand, the clubs would be able to attract better players and improve the standard of red ball game, said former India stumper and Lancashire great Farokh Engineer. "It'll help the counties hugely. So, IPL have actually come to the rescue of certain dwindling counties. The county cricket's standard has fallen down. In my time, there was myself and Clive Lloyd playing for Lancashire. There was Gordon Greenidge, Barry Richards playing for Hampshire, Andy Roberts, Ian Botham and all these guys are playing. "The standard of county cricket was very high. Now, it has sadly gone down. But with Indian money coming in, let's hope county cricket standards will improve, because county cricket is the basic form. It was the best form of cricket in my time," said Engineer.
India Today
3 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Will IPL money via The Hundred rescue financially struggling county cricket clubs?
Will the investment by IPL owners in The Hundred competition ease the financial struggles of the majority of 18 county clubs in England? It is a "make or break" question facing the struggling clubs in the county circuit right to the recently-released Leonard Curtis Cricket Finance Report, the gap between the top clubs and the smaller ones is widening with the big three -- Surrey, Lancashire and Warwickshire -- generating 44 per cent of the total revenue of all 18 first-class counties in smaller clubs like Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire are hugely reliant on the funding from the parent body -- the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The sale of equity in the eight franchises of The Hundred is expected to raise approximately 520 million pounds, a part of which would be shared with the county Read: Asia Cup 2025 in limbo as India refuses to attend meet in Bangladesh: SourcesThe ECB decided to sell stakes of the eight franchises ahead of The Hundred's fifth season that begins on August 5, day after the conclusion of the Test series between India and out of the eight teams have attracted investments from IPL franchise owners connected to Mumbai Indians (49 per cent of Oval Invincibles), Sunrisers Hyderabad (100 per cent of Northern Supercharges), Delhi Capitals (49 per cent of Southern Brave) and Lucknow Super Giants (70 per cent of Manchester Originals).The other four teams -- Welsh Fire, Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets -- have drawn huge sums from American eight counties hosting The Hundred teams, including the hosts of Test matches in the summer, are sitting pretty but the majority of the remaining 12 face an existential threat."The Hundred money allows the 18 first-class counties to look to the future rather than simply survive from one summer to the next," said former England captain Michael Vaughan in the report."I would like to see counties being transparent with each other and sharing knowledge about what works for them. Sometimes petty rivalries prevent that from happening and divisions between the Test host counties and the others develop."In a separate interaction with PTI, Vaughan said the fresh investments into The Hundred would help England produce better cricketers."There is an expectation that it's (Hundred investments) going to help County cricket. What it does do is help England produce better players because some of our players go to the IPL and mix with some of the legends of the game and coaches and they come back better players."The IPL is not going to move and it's not going to get any smaller, so the game is going to accelerate," he said, referring to the money pumped in by the IPL Cain, CEO of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, believes the fresh influx of cash in English cricket will help all 18 counties but in the long run they need to develop multiple revenue streams."In its simplest form, that money will help red-ball cricket and T20 cricket thrive in all the counties, not just the eight franchises where there are teams."So, if you're a Worcestershire or Northamptonshire or Leicestershire where you don't have a Hundred team, but you have that money, you can build better stadiums, which will attract more fans, give them a better experience. So, they want to come back again," Cain told PTI."It allows you then to create more money, which you can invest in the squad, which means that you can employ better red-ball players. If we can make it even more attractive through the investment from The Hundred money, then I think that the 18 counties will all benefit and the game in general will benefit."Cain said there is also plenty to learn on the operation front from the IPL biggies besides stressing on the importance of creating different revenue streams for clubs that don't have teams in The great with The Hundred is four of the teams have got IPL investment and four have got predominantly American US investment. So there's a nice mix here. We can learn a lot from the IPL."So, the investors operating in those global franchise environments can help us build The Hundred competition. We've got a strong T20 tournament already in the Blast. So what we need to do is make sure that it stays really strong and healthy and that The Hundred stays different," Cain said."Being straight, county cricket doesn't make money. So what we have to make sure is that through The Hundred money, the venues that aren't playing Hundred cricket can take the Hundred money and invest it in their stadiums."For example, Cain is building a new on-site hotel at Edgbaston for an additional revenue stream through the year."All those things will then drive more money into the pockets of the county to then invest back into county cricket and to the Blast," said of the financial crunch, the quality of cricket in the county circuit has been impacted. With more cash in hand, the clubs would be able to attract better players and improve the standard of red ball game, said former India stumper and Lancashire great Farokh help the counties hugely. So, IPL has actually come to the rescue of certain dwindling counties. The county cricket's standard has fallen down. In my time, there was myself and Clive Lloyd playing for Lancashire. There was Gordon Greenidge, Barry Richards playing for Hampshire, Andy Roberts, Ian Botham and all these guys are playing."The standard of county cricket was very high. Now, it has sadly gone down. But with Indian money coming in, let's hope county cricket standards will improve, because county cricket is the basic form. It was the best form of cricket in my time," said Engineer.- EndsTrending Reel
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Will IPL money via The Hundred route rescue financially struggling county cricket clubs?
Manchester: Will the investment by IPL owners in The Hundred competition ease the financial struggles of the majority of 18 county clubs in England? It is a "make or break" question facing the struggling clubs in the county circuit right now. According to the recently-released Leonard Curtis Cricket Finance Report, the gap between the top clubs and the smaller ones is widening with the big three -- Surrey, Lancashire and Warwickshire -- generating 44 per cent of the total revenue of all 18 first-class counties in 2023. The smaller clubs like Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire are hugely reliant on the funding from the parent body -- the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The sale of equity in the eight franchises of The Hundred is expected to raise approximately 520 million pounds, a part of which would be shared with the county clubs. The ECB decided to sell stakes of the eight franchises ahead of The Hundred's fifth season that begins on August 5, day after the conclusion of the Test series between India and England. Live Events Four out of the eight teams have attracted investments from IPL franchise owners connected to Mumbai Indians (49 per cent of Oval Invincibles), Sunrisers Hyderabad (100 per cent of Northern Supercharges), Delhi Capitals (49 per cent of Southern Brave) and Lucknow Super Giants (70 per cent of Manchester Originals). The other four teams -- Welsh Fire, Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets -- have drawn huge sums from American investors. The eight counties hosting The Hundred teams, including the hosts of Test matches in the summer, are sitting pretty but the majority of the remaining 12 face an existential threat. "The Hundred money allows the 18 first-class counties to look to the future rather than simply survive from one summer to the next," said former England captain Michael Vaughan in the report. "I would like to see counties being transparent with each other and sharing knowledge about what works for them. Sometimes petty rivalries prevent that from happening and divisions between the Test host counties and the others develop." In a separate interaction with PTI, Vaughan said the fresh investments into The Hundred would help England produce better cricketers. "There is an expectation that it's (Hundred investments) going to help County cricket. What it does do is help England produce better players because some of our players go to the IPL and mix with some of the legends of the game and coaches and they come back better players. "The IPL is not going to move and it's not going to get any smaller, so the game is going to accelerate," he said, referring to the money pumped in by the IPL teams. Stuart Cain, CEO of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, believes the fresh influx of cash in English cricket will help all 18 counties but in the long run they need to develop multiple revenue streams. "In its most simplest form, that money will help red-ball cricket and T20 cricket thrive in all the counties, not just the eight franchises where there are teams. "So, if you're a Worcestershire or Northamptonshire or Leicestershire where you don't have a Hundred team, but you have that money, you can build better stadiums, which will attract more fans, give them a better experience. So, they want to come back again," Cain told PTI. "It allows you then to create more money, which you can invest in the squad, which means that you can employ better red-ball players. If we can make it even more attractive through the investment from The Hundred money, then I think that the 18 counties will all benefit and the game in general will benefit." Cain said there is also plenty to learn on the operation front from the IPL biggies besides stressing on the important of creating different revenue streams for clubs that don't have teams in The Hundred. "What's great with The Hundred is four of the teams have got IPL investment and four have got predominantly American US investment. So there's a nice mix here. We can learn a lot from the IPL. "So, the investors are operating in those global franchise environments can help us build The Hundred competition. We've got a strong T20 tournament already in the Blast. So what we need to do is make sure that it stays really strong and healthy and that The Hundred stays different," Cain said. "Being straight, county cricket doesn't make money. So what we have to make sure is that through The Hundred money, the venues that aren't playing Hundred cricket can take the Hundred money and invest it in their stadiums." For example, Cain is building a new on-site hotel at Edgbaston for an additional revenue stream through the year. "All those things will then drive more money into the pockets of the county to then invest back into county cricket and to the Blast," said Cain. Because of the financial crunch, the quality of cricket in county circuit has been impacted. With more cash in hand, the clubs would be able to attract better players and improve the standard of red ball game, said former India stumper and Lancashire great Farokh Engineer. "It'll help the counties hugely. So, IPL have actually come to the rescue of certain dwindling counties. The county cricket's standard has fallen down. In my time, there was myself and Clive Lloyd playing for Lancashire. There was Gordon Greenidge, Barry Richards playing for Hampshire, Andy Roberts, Ian Botham and all these guys are playing. "The standard of county cricket was very high. Now, it has sadly gone down. But with Indian money coming in, let's hope county cricket standards will improve, because county cricket is the basic form. It was the best form of cricket in my time," said Engineer.
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Will IPL money via The Hundred route rescue financially struggling county cricket clubs?
Manchester, Jul 19 (PTI) Will the investment by IPL owners in The Hundred competition ease the financial struggles of the majority of 18 county clubs in England? It is a "make or break" question facing the struggling clubs in the county circuit right now. According to the recently-released Leonard Curtis Cricket Finance Report, the gap between the top clubs and the smaller ones is widening with the big three -- Surrey, Lancashire and Warwickshire -- generating 44 per cent of the total revenue of all 18 first-class counties in 2023. The smaller clubs like Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire are hugely reliant on the funding from the parent body -- the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The sale of equity in the eight franchises of The Hundred is expected to raise approximately 520 million pounds, a part of which would be shared with the county clubs. The ECB decided to sell stakes of the eight franchises ahead of The Hundred's fifth season that begins on August 5, day after the conclusion of the Test series between India and England. Four out of the eight teams have attracted investments from IPL franchise owners connected to Mumbai Indians (49 per cent of Oval Invincibles), Sunrisers Hyderabad (100 per cent of Northern Supercharges), Delhi Capitals (49 per cent of Southern Brave) and Lucknow Super Giants (70 per cent of Manchester Originals). The other four teams -- Welsh Fire, Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets -- have drawn huge sums from American investors. The eight counties hosting The Hundred teams, including the hosts of Test matches in the summer, are sitting pretty but the majority of the remaining 12 face an existential threat. "The Hundred money allows the 18 first-class counties to look to the future rather than simply survive from one summer to the next," said former England captain Michael Vaughan in the report. "I would like to see counties being transparent with each other and sharing knowledge about what works for them. Sometimes petty rivalries prevent that from happening and divisions between the Test host counties and the others develop." In a separate interaction with PTI, Vaughan said the fresh investments into The Hundred would help England produce better cricketers. "There is an expectation that it's (Hundred investments) going to help County cricket. What it does do is help England produce better players because some of our players go to the IPL and mix with some of the legends of the game and coaches and they come back better players. "The IPL is not going to move and it's not going to get any smaller, so the game is going to accelerate," he said, referring to the money pumped in by the IPL teams. Stuart Cain, CEO of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, believes the fresh influx of cash in English cricket will help all 18 counties but in the long run they need to develop multiple revenue streams. "In its most simplest form, that money will help red-ball cricket and T20 cricket thrive in all the counties, not just the eight franchises where there are teams. "So, if you're a Worcestershire or Northamptonshire or Leicestershire where you don't have a Hundred team, but you have that money, you can build better stadiums, which will attract more fans, give them a better experience. So, they want to come back again," Cain told PTI. "It allows you then to create more money, which you can invest in the squad, which means that you can employ better red-ball players. If we can make it even more attractive through the investment from The Hundred money, then I think that the 18 counties will all benefit and the game in general will benefit." Cain said there is also plenty to learn on the operation front from the IPL biggies besides stressing on the important of creating different revenue streams for clubs that don't have teams in The Hundred. "What's great with The Hundred is four of the teams have got IPL investment and four have got predominantly American US investment. So there's a nice mix here. We can learn a lot from the IPL. "So, the investors are operating in those global franchise environments can help us build The Hundred competition. We've got a strong T20 tournament already in the Blast. So what we need to do is make sure that it stays really strong and healthy and that The Hundred stays different," Cain said. "Being straight, county cricket doesn't make money. So what we have to make sure is that through The Hundred money, the venues that aren't playing Hundred cricket can take the Hundred money and invest it in their stadiums." For example, Cain is building a new on-site hotel at Edgbaston for an additional revenue stream through the year. "All those things will then drive more money into the pockets of the county to then invest back into county cricket and to the Blast," said Cain. Because of the financial crunch, the quality of cricket in county circuit has been impacted. With more cash in hand, the clubs would be able to attract better players and improve the standard of red ball game, said former India stumper and Lancashire great Farokh Engineer. "It'll help the counties hugely. So, IPL have actually come to the rescue of certain dwindling counties. The county cricket's standard has fallen down. In my time, there was myself and Clive Lloyd playing for Lancashire. There was Gordon Greenidge, Barry Richards playing for Hampshire, Andy Roberts, Ian Botham and all these guys are playing. "The standard of county cricket was very high. Now, it has sadly gone down. But with Indian money coming in, let's hope county cricket standards will improve, because county cricket is the basic form. It was the best form of cricket in my time," said Engineer.
