Trump administration seeks to restrict internships for international students

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently issued a memo warning universities that certain internship work authorizations for international students may be restricted. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program, a part of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, has observed an increase in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorizations that allegedly violate regulatory requirements.

These regulations stipulate that CPT should only be permitted when the training is an integral part of an established curriculum. Institutions found to be non-compliant risk losing certification to enroll foreign students. Some universities, including the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Berkeley, have temporarily paused Curricular Practical Training authorizations while reviewing federal guidance and determining the next steps.

The Berkeley international office stated that they are extending the pause for certain work authorizations for international students indefinitely. They will continue processing degree-requirement CPT as usual and will resume processing Doctoral Dissertation and Master's Thesis Research CPT after consulting with legal experts. The Department of Homeland Security emphasized that these regulations remain unchanged, but universities and employers should recognize that abuse of the system will no longer be tolerated under the current administration.