Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem demanding that the agency stop issuing work permits to student visa holders in the United States. The letter requires a response by October 10, 2025.
In the letter, Senator Grassley expressed deep concern about the job prospects of young Americans. He cited a finding by the Federal Reserve that “the unemployment rate of males ages 22 to 27 is roughly the same, whether or not they hold a degree.” He also noted that recent American graduates with STEM majors have higher unemployment rates than the general population, calling these employment trends “deeply troubling.”
The Senator contends that competition from foreign graduates is contributing to rising unemployment rates among college-educated Americans, which he says should not be the case. He pointed out that Congress placed caps on employment visas for foreign graduates to ensure American jobs are filled by American graduates.
However, Senator Grassley asserts that the DHS is issuing hundreds of thousands of work authorizations to student visa holders in direct violation of the law. He stated: “DHS even allows foreign graduates to stay in the United States on their student visas for years after graduation in order to work. These work authorizations are incompatible with the Immigration and Nationality Act, which clearly states a student visa is “solely” for the purpose of pursuing an education, not employment.”
Beyond harming American job seekers, Senator Grassley argued that foreign student work authorizations also put the nation at risk of technological and corporate espionage. He highlighted that over 33,000 Chinese student visa holders have work authorizations allowing them to work in sensitive tech positions.
He further noted that the FBI has warned that China is engaging in the “systematic theft of intellectual property,” and the USCIS ombudsman has found that foreign student work authorizations are “currently being used by government actors from countries such as the [People’s Republic of China] as a means of conducting espionage and technology transfer.”
Senator Grassley reiterated that he gave a speech on the Senate floor in March urging an end to the work authorizations and that his office has contacted DHS several times. He concluded his letter by saying, “It appears, however, that DHS is still issuing work authorizations to student visa holders. I am again asking you to put an end to these unlawful employment authorizations.”
If Secretary Noem’s reply does not include a commitment to ending the work authorizations, the Senator demands a detailed explanation of the legal authority DHS is relying on to issue them. He also wants to know if the Department has reevaluated that authority in light of the Supreme Court’s recent rulings on the major questions doctrine and administrative deference. Additionally, he has requested a staff-level briefing on the matter.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
