US Proposes $70,000 OPT Fee for Nigerians, Other Foreign Students

The administration of US President Donald Trump has proposed a $70,000 fee for international students seeking to participate in a programme that allows them to work in the United States after completing their studies.

The proposed rule by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) targets the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme available to eligible foreign students on F-1 visas, including Nigerians studying in the US.

Under the proposal, US educational institutions would be required to pay $70,000 for each student’s initial OPT participation, while an additional $30,000 fee would apply for each renewal or further training.

The proposal does not initially require students themselves to pay the $70,000 directly. Instead, the financial obligation would fall on the schools recommending students for OPT, although education groups warn that the cost could ultimately affect students and universities.

The OPT programme allows eligible international students to obtain temporary work experience in jobs related to their fields of study. Most students can participate for up to one year after graduation, while graduates in qualifying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can receive an additional two years.

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DHS said the proposed fees are intended to combat fraud, strengthen the integrity of the immigration system and protect US workers.

The department has also argued that OPT has been misused as a source of cheap foreign labour and that the proposed fees would encourage universities to exercise greater scrutiny when recommending students for the programme.

The proposed charge represents a sharp increase from the current cost associated with OPT applications, which is around $500.

The plan could have significant implications for international students from countries such as Nigeria, India and China, whose graduates make substantial use of OPT, particularly in technology and other specialised fields.

American universities and business groups have raised concerns that the proposed fee could discourage international students from studying in the US and make it harder for companies to recruit skilled graduates.

Education groups have also warned that the measure could affect American universities that rely on international enrolment for tuition revenue and employers that depend on foreign graduates to fill specialised positions.

The proposal is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to tighten US immigration policies and impose greater restrictions on foreign students and workers.

The DHS proposal is subject to a public comment period before it can be finalised. If approved, the rule would take effect after an additional implementation period, while legal challenges are also expected.

The proposed OPT fee is separate from other changes to the H-1B visa programme, which has also faced increased costs and restrictions under the Trump administration.

US Proposes $70,000 OPT Fee for Nigerians, Other Foreign Students

Three Killed, 36 Injured as Houthi Attacks Hit Saudi Airports

Three people have been killed and 36 others injured after attacks struck two major airports in Saudi Arabia, with Yemen’s Houthi rebels claiming responsibility for the strikes.

The attacks targeted Abha International Airport in the southern Asir province and King Khalid International Airport in the capital, Riyadh, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation.

Two women, identified as Moroccan and Algerian residents, were killed in the attack on Abha Airport, where 28 people were also injured.

A separate attack on King Khalid International Airport killed a Sudanese national and injured eight others, including five Saudi citizens, two Egyptian residents and a Pakistani resident.

The Saudi aviation authority said the attacks caused material damage and that emergency and security agencies were assessing the impact while taking measures to protect passengers and airport workers.

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The Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen, claimed responsibility for the attacks. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group had targeted King Khalid Airport with drones and attacked Abha Airport with ballistic missiles and drones.

Saudi authorities did not directly attribute the attacks to the Houthis in their initial statement, although the claims by the group came shortly before the Saudi casualty figures were announced.

The attacks came amid a sharp escalation in the Yemen conflict, after Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces launched an offensive against Houthi fighters holding territory along the strategically important Red Sea coast and near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Houthis have also claimed attacks on other Saudi targets, while Saudi-led forces have intensified air operations against Houthi positions in Yemen.

The renewed fighting has raised fresh concerns about the security of Saudi airports and regional air travel, with airlines and aviation authorities monitoring developments closely.

The latest violence marks another escalation in a conflict that has repeatedly threatened civilian infrastructure and vital shipping routes in and around the Red Sea.

Three Killed, 36 Injured as Houthi Attacks Hit Saudi Airports

US Set to Charge Maduro, Wife Over Alleged Torture of Americans

The United States is preparing to file new criminal charges against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, over allegations that American citizens were tortured while detained in Venezuela during Maduro’s rule.

The new charges could be announced as early as Thursday, according to reports citing a US official familiar with the investigation.

The case reportedly centres on allegations involving more than a dozen US citizens detained in Venezuelan government custody during Maduro’s 13-year presidency.

US prosecutors in New York are also considering charges against other individuals allegedly involved in the mistreatment of American detainees.

The precise charges and identities of all the alleged victims had not been publicly disclosed at the time of reporting.

The Manhattan US Attorney’s Office, which is already prosecuting Maduro and Flores in a separate federal case, has declined to comment on the reported new charges.

Lawyers representing the couple have also not publicly responded to the allegations.

Maduro and Flores are already facing US federal charges linked to an alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy. They were taken into US custody after being captured in Caracas on January 3 and transferred to New York to face prosecution.

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Both have pleaded not guilty to the existing charges and are scheduled to stand trial in June 2027.

The new allegations could significantly broaden the US prosecution of the former Venezuelan president and his wife by bringing alleged human-rights abuses against American detainees into the criminal case.

US authorities have previously accused the Maduro government of wrongfully detaining American citizens and using their imprisonment as leverage in dealings with Washington.

Among those detained during Maduro’s administration were the CITGO 6, five US oil executives arrested in Venezuela on corruption-related allegations. They were released in 2022 as part of a prisoner exchange.

Two former US Army Special Forces members were also detained in Venezuela in 2020 after being accused of participating in an unsuccessful operation against Maduro. They were released in 2023 as part of another prisoner exchange.

Former detainees have separately made allegations of serious physical and psychological abuse while in Venezuelan custody.

In a related civil case, three Americans who were detained in Venezuela were awarded $314 million in damages by a US federal judge in July after alleging that they were subjected to physical and psychological torture during their imprisonment.

The expected criminal charges would therefore add to a series of legal actions stemming from the treatment of Americans detained under the Maduro government.

Flores is also seeking release from US custody on health grounds, with her lawyers asking that she be placed under house arrest while the case proceeds. Prosecutors have opposed the request.

The reported move comes after Maduro’s removal from power and transfer to the United States, with Venezuela now under the leadership of former vice president Delcy Rodríguez.

If filed, the new charges would place additional legal pressure on Maduro and Flores as they prepare to defend themselves against the existing US federal prosecution.

The allegations remain subject to judicial proceedings, and Maduro and Flores are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

US Set to Charge Maduro, Wife Over Alleged Torture of Americans