US authorities have said they are monitoring more than 10,000 foreign students, including Indians, after they were found to be linked to companies involved in fraudulent activities.
In the United States, students studying on a student visa can, after completing their course, work for one to two years under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to gain job experience. This experience can later be used to apply for a work visa.
According to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the OPT route was allegedly misused in a scam. Some companies involved in online fraud and other illegal activities were found to have employed these students.
Officials said several of the firms were operating from India and described the development as a potential threat to national security. The students connected to these entities are currently being kept under watch, the agency said.
