Sponsor
Richard Lynn Scott
Senator · R-FL
Senator · R-FL
The bill increases Congressional control and short‑term taxpayer savings by blocking DHS use of fees for student work authorizations and rescinding balances, but it risks depriving international students of work rights, disrupting universities and employers, and slowing broader immigration services by shifting decisions to the slower legislative process.
Taxpayers: the bill bars DHS from spending federal funds on F- and M‑student work authorizations without explicit Congressional approval and rescinds unobligated fee balances tied to those authorizations, reducing federal expenditures and returning/reallocating fees.
Taxpayers and state governments: the bill imposes a 30‑day deadline for DHS to identify funds to rescind, increasing budgetary accountability and prompting faster implementation of the change.
F- and M‑visa students and other international students: they would lose the ability to obtain or renew employment authorization unless Congress enacts a law, reducing work options and likely harming students' finances and practical training opportunities.
Universities, employers, and small businesses: schools and employers that rely on student work programs could face labor shortages and administrative disruption if authorizations pause or end.
Immigrants and applicants: rescinding fee balances could reduce funds DHS uses for other immigration processing funded by the same account, slowing adjudications and related services.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Stops DHS from spending funds to process employment authorization for F- and M-category students and requires rescission of related unused immigration-fee balances.
Official title: Limit expenditures for foreign student work authorizations, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 18, 2026 by Richard Lynn Scott · Last progress June 18, 2026
Prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from using any funds — including fees in the Immigration Examinations Fee Account — to adjudicate, approve, renew, or extend employment authorization for nonimmigrant students in F or M classifications unless Congress specifically authorizes that employment. It also requires DHS to rescind unobligated fee balances that the Secretary determines are attributable to these unauthorized student employment-authorization activities and to report that rescission amount within 30 days of enactment. The effect is an immediate funding ban on DHS processing of student employment authorization (including Optional Practical Training or other work permissions tied to F/M status) absent a clear congressional authorization, plus a short timeline for DHS to identify and rescind related unused fee dollars.