Is OPT Ending in 2025? Trump Administration Proposals and What International Students Need to Know

By C. Matthew Schulz

Summary: OPT Under Fire — But Still Standing

In 2025, reports of the Trump Administration planning to eliminate or severely restrict Optional Practical Training (OPT) have spread rapidly across media outlets and university campuses. The Optional Practical Training program allows F-1 international students to work in the U.S. for up to 12 months after graduation (or up to 36 months for STEM graduates).

Under Pressure: How the Trump Administration’s H‑1B Reforms Are Reshaping U.S. Workforce Strategy

By C. Matthew Schulz

U.S. employers who rely on the H‑1B program increasingly face a changing and uncertain environment. 

Trump Gold Card Update

By C. Matthew Schulz

On September 19, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14351, launching a new immigration initiative dubbed the “American Gold Card” program, as was widely reported (see, e.g., The Atlantic, Politico). 

DHS Proposes Weighted Lottery System for H-1B Visas Favoring Higher Wages

By C. Matthew Schulz

In a significant policy development, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published a proposed rule to amend the H-1B cap-subject visa selection process. Announced in the Federal Register on September 24, 2025 (90 Fed. Reg.

Trump’s Immigration Proclamation Sends Shockwaves Through U.S. Business Sector

By C. Matthew Schulz

On September 19, 2025, President Trump signed a sweeping proclamation that stunned the U.S. technology sector and global economy. The measure imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B entries and announced the creation of “Gold” and “Platinum” immigration cards offering fast-track residency options tied to multi-million-dollar payments.

Immigration Consequences of “Un-American” Activities: USCIS Policy Update

By C. Matthew Schulz

On August 19, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a press release announcing that it will now consider anti-Americanism in discretionary immigration decisions. 

2025 U.S. Tariffs: Vietnam Transshipment & Country of Origin

By C. Matthew Schulz

On April 2, 2025, the White House issued Executive Order 14257, launching broad “reciprocal” tariffs on imports to the U.S., later adjusted by follow-on orders in April and July/August 2025.

Proposed H‑1B Visa Reform 2025: Wage-Based Selection, Academic Cap Attacks & Planning Uncertainty 

By C. Matthew Schulz

The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to issue a new proposed rule titled “Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking To File Cap‑Subject H‑1B Petitions”, which was submitted to the Office of Management and Budget.

What Immigrants Must Carry: CBP Reminder Sparks Legal and Civil Rights Concerns

By C. Matthew Schulz

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a public notice reinforcing that all lawful permanent residents (green card holders) and other non-U.S. citizens are legally required to carry proof of their lawful immigration status at all times.

The legal authority is 8 U.S.C. § 1304(e)—a long-standing provision of U.S. immigration law that makes it a misdemeanor for any noncitizen over the age of 18 to fail to carry immigration documentation.

Trump’s $5 Million 'Gold Card' Still Isn’t Real — And Why That Matters for U.S. Immigration Law

By C. Matthew Schulz

Despite repeated public mentions, flashy props, and enthusiastic promotion from President Trump and his Commerce Secretary, the so-called “Trump Gold Card” remains nonexistent in U.S.