CPT crackdown has been legally challenged by universities in the US.
CPT is an internship program only for F-1 students. The administration saw this as a backdoor for F-1 students to gain entry to the job market. On August 12, ICE said that CPTs could be authorized only if the training is integral ro the course and in that case, all students should do that — not only international students. On August 24, another message followed that said CPT can’t be optional.
Now, the Association of American Universities, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts challenged the ICE memo and said colleges and universities were not given adequate time to respond. The lawsuit said that CPT has been a hallmark of US education, as it offers hands-on training to international students. “Changing how CPT is administered through broadcast messages, without formal rulemaking, is an aberration that must be challenged,” said NAFSA Executive Director and CEO Fanta Aw.
Prompted by the ICE memos, colleges and universities across the US paused or halted CPT authorizations. “These abrupt changes have placed Designated School Officials—the professionals responsible for advising international students and ensuring institutional compliance—in an untenable position, forcing them to navigate significant new restrictions and uncertainty without the clarity and due process that formal rulemaking provides. Unlike OPT, CPT is authorized by the school’s DSO (Designated School Official) in SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) and does not require an Employment Authorization Document from USCIS. If it’s optional, then there is already a program for it — OPT.