For years, the Department of Homeland Security operated a program allowing tens of thousands of foreign students who recently graduated from a college or university to obtain valuable tech-related jobs. Known as post-completion Optional Practical Training, the program permits former students admitted to the United States on F-1 visas to work in STEM-related jobs for up to three years.Tech companies love post-completion OPT. They do not have to pay employment taxes on enrollees. They also enjoy significant leverage over these individuals, whose continued residency in the U.S. is conditioned on maintaining their employment status.Clearly, this program hurts recent American college graduates seeking employment in an environment where artificial intelligence is quickly replacing tech workers. As of 2023, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates in the U.S. is reported to be as high as 7.8% for those with certain STEM degrees. And, as of 2024, five of the 10 college majors with the highest unemployment rates — and two of the top three — are in STEM-related majors. While recent American college graduates are struggling to find a return on their academic investment, U.S. businesses are using F-1 visas and OPT to replace these American STEM graduates with cheaper foreign labor.