Washington, April 15 (NationPress) A Republican senator from the United States has called on President Donald Trump to abolish a significant work permit initiative for international students, claiming it adversely affects American graduates and raises national security concerns, particularly regarding China.

Senator Rick Scott, in a letter addressed to Trump, applauded the administration’s anticipated move to restrict or eliminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, describing it as a "critical issue that demands your immediate focus".

“These work permits for foreign students not only jeopardize the employment prospects of recent college graduates but are also exploited, presenting a considerable national security threat from a self-identified adversary – Communist China,” Scott stated.

The senator from Florida emphasized that young Americans are facing increasing challenges in the job market. “Historically, recent graduates experienced a lower unemployment rate than the broader population; however, this trend has reversed since 2020,” he remarked.

He highlighted specific difficulties faced by STEM graduates. “The unemployment rate for recent graduates holding degrees in computer engineering is nearly twice that of the general unemployment rate,” Scott pointed out, noting that unemployment among computer science graduates is “over 50% higher compared to the overall jobless rate.”

Scott contended that foreign competition facilitated by the OPT program is worsening the situation. “Currently, more than half a million student visa holders possess OPT work permits,” he wrote, adding that these permits “enable foreign students to vie for American jobs alongside U.S. citizens” and to remain in the country post-graduation.

The senator also raised alarms about security issues associated with the program. Referencing information from the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman, he stated that the OPT system is “currently being exploited by governmental agents from nations such as [China] to engage in espionage and technology transfer.”

According to his letter, over 33,000 Chinese nationals hold STEM OPT permits, which allow them to stay in the U.S. for timeframes comparable to H-1B visas. Many are employed in universities and leading technology firms, granting them access to “sensitive technological data and intellectual property,” Scott explained.

“We cannot keep allowing access to an enemy nation that would readily use our own research against us,” he added.

Scott further asserted that the OPT program lacks a legal foundation. “The OPT program should not exist; it is merely a regulatory creation without any statutory basis,” he wrote, citing sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act that classify student visas as being “exclusively” for educational purposes.

He also condemned the origins of the STEM OPT extension, labeling it a workaround to circumvent H-1B visa restrictions imposed by Congress.

The senator expressed approval of signs indicating that the Trump administration is poised to take regulatory action. He mentioned a Department of Homeland Security announcement stating that it “will revise existing regulations to tackle fraud and national security issues, while also safeguarding U.S. workers from being displaced by foreign nationals.”

Scott conveyed his eagerness to review the forthcoming rule language and reiterated his support for the administration’s initiatives aimed at “protecting American jobs and families.”