Dear Erica,
ICYMI, NAFSA has a new web portal devoted to the rule proposed by the Department of Homeland Security on October 8 that introduces new fees for Optional Practical Training (OPT). It includes a detailed analysis of the proposed rule and resources to assist with preparing a comment before the November 9 deadline. Those resources are continually being updated—most recently with high-level comment letter guidance that NAFSA developed with higher education partners. The slides presented by Michael Clemens and the resources highlighted by Stuart Anderson during the October 21 NAFSA webinar are also available on the site. With the U.S. midterm elections less than two weeks away, using your voice to participate in government feels especially important right now.
There has been some movement in NAFSA’s ongoing case against the proposed rule to end the Duration of Status policy. As I shared earlier, the government has appealed the court’s decision to block implementation of the rule change. The First Circuit Court of Appeals has given the government a deadline of November 9 for their opening brief. Our legal team will need to submit their brief 30 days later on December 9. The government will then have ten days to reply. We’ll keep you posted on anything substantive!
Recall that arguments will be heard on November 6 in our case challenging the broadcast messages that drastically change the interpretation of curricular practical training (CPT). We hope for swift resolution! Karin Fischer, in a recent Chronicle of Higher Education newsletter, shared a sobering survey by the Computing Research Association which showed that a third of responding computer-science departments paused all authorizations of CPT while their institutions review the broadcast messages. Only four percent of responding institutions indicated they were continuing to authorize CPT as they had in the past. Karin pointed out that computer-science programs are an important bellwether given that international students study in this field more than any other. See below for our advocacy campaign to push Congress to protect practical training.
It is hard to believe, but International Education Week (IEW) is less than a month away. As conveyed in a joint statement, NAFSA is again partnering with the Forum on Education Abroad and other associations across the sector to continue a time-honored tradition that was historically a joint effort of the U.S. Departments of State and Education. Members of the international education community are encouraged to use IEW to highlight the many ways international experiences transform lives and shape careers. Use this helpful social media toolkit for hashtags (#IEW2026), graphics, and sample posts.
As for what to expect from NAFSA during IEW, our annual international student economic value analysis of course! As has been our custom for over 25 years, we will analyze the latest Open Doors enrollment data to produce reports that quantify the economic spending and jobs supported by international students at the national, state, and congressional district levels. We will also issue an update to our Fall 2026 economic outlook using the results of IIE’s Fall Snapshot on International Student Enrollment. Mark your calendar for our November 16 release! Note: the International Student Economic Value Tool will be offline from November 5 until November 16 to prepare for the release of new data. Email [email protected] with questions during this time.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
-
Get your community ready to vote! Tuesday, November 3 is less than two weeks away. Visit votesmart.org to learn more about the candidates in your local election. If you have U.S. students abroad during this election cycle, be sure to share this U.S. Vote Foundation resource with them on how they can vote.
We got this!
Best,
Erica
Erica Stewart
Senior Director, Advocacy & Strategic Communications
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
