据美国移民律师网(ilw.com)，代表科技、工程及数理专业从业者(STEM workers)的维权团体——华盛顿技术工人联盟(WashTech)起诉了美国国土安全部，要求取消带薪短期实习签证(OPT)。OPT签证允许持有F1签证的国际学生在完成在美的全日制学业后，获得12个月的工作许可。根据2008年4月布什总统的行政指示，部分从事科技、工程及数理专业的学生甚至可以将OPT的工作许可时间延长到17个月。OPT签证通常被视作获取H-1B签证的跳板。

　　华盛顿技术工人联盟诉称，OPT签证对美国本国的技术工人造成了损害，因为雇主在能雇佣本国工人的时候反而选择雇佣OPT学生。华盛顿技术工人联盟认为自己对此案有资格起诉。法院确认了其原告资格，这意味着案件将进入审理阶段，但法院并没有就实体问题审理时原告胜诉的可能性表态。

　　by Chris Musillo

　　The Washington Alliance of Technology Workers (WashTech), a collective bargaining organization that represents science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workers, has sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seeking to eliminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. The OPT program allows foreign nationals on an F-1 student visa to engage in twelve months of employment during and following a full-time course load in a U.S. educational institution. Certain STEM applicants can extend their OPT status an additional 17 months, pursuant to an April 2008 instituted by President George W. Bush’s administration. The OPT is often seen as a bridge to the H-1B program.

　　WashTech argues that the OPT program causes actual harm to US technology workers because US employers hire these OPT workers when the employers could be hiring these US workers. The WashTech plaintiffs have standing to make their case. The court’s finding that standing exists means that the case can go forward, although the court’s decision does not speak to the likelihood of success when the substantive case is argued.