The Forum Daily | Friday, July 31, 2026https://www.forumtogether.org

The Trump administration is considering adding a $100,000 fee for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which provides temporary work authorization for international students who graduate from American universities, reports Michelle Hackman of The Wall Street Journal [link removed]. 

The policy would accomplish the goal of the administration’s earlier proposal to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas for foreign professionals, a move that sparked opposition from the tech industry and resulted in legal challenges, Hackman notes. 

If implemented, the plan would create additional barriers for international students who have traditionally had a pathway into the U.S. workforce. The most recent change related to international students is a final rule establishing a fixed four-year period of admission for international students. Learn more about it in this Forum explainer [link removed]. 

The policy shift is affecting international students' enrollment in universities across the U.S. and discouraging even those who are already enrolled, as reported by Dilan Gohill of El País English [link removed]. 

"There’s immense pressure to know what you want and plan it far in advance, when non-international students aren’t expected to do the same. It feels quite unfair," said an international student at Stanford. 

Many universities across the country are already struggling, since they rely on international student tuition revenue to help balance their budget. The California State University system is evaluating the impact of the new rule, reports Lorraine Gabbert of San José Spotlight [link removed]. 

William Sundstrom, an economics professor at Santa Clara University, said that beyond the impact on higher education institutions and the students, there will be a larger economic impact. He noted that a large percentage of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and nearly 70% of tech workers are foreign-born, many of whom came to the U.S. as students. 

Welcome to Friday’s edition of The Forum Daily. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to [email protected] mailto:[email protected]. 

Federal Policy 

* Trump Targets ‘Birth Tourism’ After Birthright Citizenship Loss [link removed] (Andrew Kreighbaum, Celine Castronuovo, Bloomberg Law) 

* Appeals court rejects the Trump administration’s expansion of mandatory detention for immigrants [link removed] (Sudhin Thanawala, Associated Press) 

* They immigrated legally. Under Trump, 1.8 million have been ‘de-legalized.’ [link removed] (Laura Barron-Lopez, Nour Longi, and Alex Tabet, MS NOW) 

* The Trump administration has undercut the U.S. asylum program. These 3 charts show how [link removed] (Ximena Bustillo, NPR) 

Immigrant Children 

* More than 24,000 immigrant children could lose legal representation as a federal contract expires [link removed] (Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times) 

* With reports of immigration detentions rising and school year approaching, Oregon advocates seek strategies to protect children [link removed] (Elizabeth Miller, Oregon Public Broadcasting)  

Immigration Detention 

* Immigration advocates warn of increased ICE arrests, detentions in South Florida [link removed] (Hatzel Vela, NBC Miami) 

* Colombian father detained by ICE while pumping gas in Doral describes conditions inside detention centers [link removed] (Ivan Taylor, CBS News) 

* ICE separated Nashville mom from infant daughter against its own rules, complaint alleges [link removed] (Marianna Bacallao, WPLN) 

Other articles worth reading 

* Republican South Texas construction owners decry ICE raids [link removed] (Berenice Garcia, The Texas Tribune) 

* New survey reveals fears of US farm workers amid Trump’s immigration raids [link removed] (Michael Sainato, The Guardian) 

* Asylum seekers fear case dismissal if they miss a $100 fee — even when notices fail to arrive [link removed] (Myah Ward, Politico) 

* Brownsville, Texas, bishop addresses plight of nun, others like her facing deportation [link removed] (Amira Abuzeid, EWTN News) 

Thanks for reading, 

Clara

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