Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) has introduced H.R. 4393, the so-called “Dignity Act,” that would more than double skill based immigration. One of the many concerning aspects of the bill gives Congressional recognition to the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program that gives employers financial motivation to hire foreign college graduates over U.S. graduates.
About the OPT program:
- OPT has grown more than 400% in recent years and is bigger than the H-1B program. which OPT was created to circumvent.
- OPT visas are not merit-based and have no enforceable wage protections.
Congress never voted to create the OPT program, but H.R. 4393 would officially recognize it as legitimate. We should be ending OPT, not recognizing it. Fewer than 50% of U.S. STEM graduates are finding jobs in STEM fields, while 53% of OPT workers are in STEM fields.
Your U.S. Representative has co-sponsored H.R. 2315, the Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act, to end the OPT program and level the playing field for American workers. Please send a message to your U.S. Representative and ask them to push their colleagues to co-sponsor H.R. 2315 to counter the Dignity Act amnesty and help new college graduates enter the workforce.