Universities sue DHS over limits on CPT internships

What happened

A coalition of higher education bodies filed a lawsuit last week over two federal broadcast messages on Curricular Practical Training, or CPT, The PIE News reported. CPT lets international students take internships and work placements during their studies. The Department of Homeland Security sent the messages on August 12 and August 24. They said CPT must only be granted where it is a degree requirement.

NAFSA and the Association of American Universities brought the case, joined by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts and the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. They named DHS, ICE and the Department of Justice. They say the government changed its interpretation abruptly, with no explanation and no public comment period, and that the messages prompted the cancellation of thousands of internships. According to the report, the regulations themselves have not changed. The messages did carry decertification threats and personal perjury liability for Designated School Officials who do not enforce the new reading, and many colleges then suspended authorisations for students whose internships are not a degree requirement.

NAFSA CEO Fanta Aw said that changing CPT through broadcast messages is "an aberration that must be challenged." Boston College professor Chris Glass said about 130,000 students used CPT in 2024, and that it is often the first step toward Optional Practical Training and then an H-1B petition. The report also said the administration this month proposed a $70,000 OPT charge on universities for each student put forward. Glass acknowledged that schools enrolling students to use CPT as a quasi-work visa have damaged the field's credibility. DHS did not respond to The PIE's request for comment.

What this means for job seekers

talentdpro has no job data tied to this story, so there are no role counts to share. The practical advice is for students on F-1 visas, or those considering US study.

First, ask your Designated School Officer in writing how your school is handling CPT now. Ask whether your planned internship counts as a degree requirement under the school's current approach, and get the answer in an email. If an authorisation was suspended, ask what the school needs from you and how long it expects the situation to last.

Second, do not wait for the courts. Keep applying for internships and ask employers whether the start date can move. Look at what your program requires, since credit-bearing internships may be treated differently from optional ones, and confirm this with your school rather than assuming. If you are choosing a program, ask admissions staff how they handle CPT and OPT, and treat any promise about future work rights with caution while the lawsuit and the OPT proposal are unresolved.