Banks Asks Trump to End OPT Program Favoring Foreigners for U.S. Jobs

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  Published in Science and Technology on Tuesday, November 4th 2025 at 19:02 GMT by breitbart.com

Sen. Jim Banks Urges Trump to Repeal OPT Program, Claiming It Undermines American Graduates

In a hard‑line briefing released on November 4, 2025, Republican Senator Jim Banks of Indiana called on former President Donald Trump to take decisive action to dismantle the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program—a U.S. immigration tool that allows international students on F‑1 visas to work in America for up to 12 months (and up to 24 months for STEM graduates) after they finish their studies. Banks argues that the program, which he says disproportionately favors foreign workers, is “sabotaging the career prospects of American college graduates” and represents a broader “brain‑drain” against U.S. labor interests.

A “Fair‑Play” Argument

In the exclusive interview, Banks framed OPT as an “unfair advantage” that places foreign graduates in jobs that would otherwise be available to U.S. citizens. “These are students who come to the United States, learn, and then leave a job vacancy for a home‑grown talent who could be trained and hired,” Banks said. He noted that the OPT program is often abused by recruiters who lure graduates with lower wages, thereby undercutting the pay scale for American workers. Banks cited a study by the Center for American Progress (CAP) that found 35 % of technology companies in the U.S. relied on OPT candidates for their most competitive roles—a statistic he claims illustrates a systemic tilt toward foreign talent.

Trump’s Historical Stance on Immigration

Banks linked his request to Trump’s past positions on immigration policy. He reminded the former president that in 2017 Trump had issued executive orders to tighten visa restrictions, particularly for those he described as “high‑risk” immigrants. “If Mr. Trump can turn the tide against people who pose a risk to our borders, why can’t he address a program that is systematically favoring non‑citizens over American citizens?” Banks asked. He pointed out that Trump’s administration had previously attempted to reduce the cap on H‑1B visas and introduced the “Border Health Advisory Board” to scrutinize the issuance of work visas.

Policy Alternatives and Economic Arguments

The article explored alternative policy proposals that would preserve the OPT program’s benefits while addressing Banks’s concerns. A link in the Breitbart piece led to a 2025 report by the Brookings Institution that recommended a “tiered OPT system” that would allow STEM graduates to continue for 24 months only if they secured a job with a company that had a demonstrated record of hiring U.S. workers first. The Brookings analysis suggested that such a system could reduce wage suppression without stifling innovation. Banks, however, dismissed the proposal as “too little, too late” and urged Trump to consider a “complete repeal” instead.

Banks also referenced a white paper from the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) that argued for a more “pro‑American” approach to international student visas. AILA’s analysis highlighted the “critical gaps” in the U.S. higher‑education labor market—particularly in STEM fields—where domestic graduates often lack the technical skill sets demanded by employers. Banks contended that allowing foreign graduates to fill these gaps “bypasses the very purpose of investing in American education.”

Reactions from the Senate and the Public

The article concluded with a brief overview of the political fallout. Several Senate colleagues, including Senator Susan Collins (D‑CA), called for a “balanced approach” that safeguards both U.S. jobs and the global competitiveness of American universities. Collins emphasized that many U.S. companies rely on OPT workers for research and development, arguing that the program is a “critical component of the tech ecosystem.” In contrast, conservative commentator Robert Wheeler—featured in a sidebar link—applauded Banks’s stance, arguing that the OPT program “has been a tool of foreign policy that undermines our domestic labor market.”

Broader Implications for U.S. Immigration Policy

Banks’s plea to Trump has been framed within a larger debate about the future of U.S. immigration policy. The Breitbart article cited a recent congressional hearing where immigration officials testified about the “increasing wage gap” between OPT workers and their American counterparts. It also linked to a recent op‑ed in The Wall Street Journal, which critiqued the OPT program as a “policy loophole that enables exploitation of foreign labor.” Banks’s call for Trump to end the program reflects a growing sentiment among some conservatives that the U.S. needs to “put its own people first.”

Bottom Line

Sen. Jim Banks’ latest push to repeal the OPT program underscores a sharp divide in American politics over how to balance national interests with global economic realities. While the Senator frames the OPT as a systemic unfairness that robs American graduates of jobs, proponents argue that the program fuels innovation and keeps U.S. companies competitive. By asking Trump to intervene, Banks signals that he believes the former president’s executive‑order powers could be used to reset the rulebook on how international students contribute to the U.S. workforce—an issue that will likely dominate the next cycle of immigration debate.