F-1 rules and steep OPT fees face legal and policy uncertainty

A Sept. 16 injunction blocks DHS’s fixed-duration-of-status rule, while a separate judge has paused the proposed four-year F-1 limit during an APA challenge. DHS has proposed OPT fees of $70,000 initially and $30,000 subsequently; the proposal is not final, and students should check official and school guidance.