There are various reasons federal immigration officials might come in person to a university office, or in rare circumstances, to a person’s home address.
Below are specific reasons Department of Homeland Security (DHS) staff may conduct a site visit. These visits are often conducted as part of routine audits and are not the same as enforcement conducted by ICE. (See the Student Legal Service website and Rapid Response: Federal Enforcement in Minnesota for more information about ICE visits.)
Types of Visits
USCIS Visits
On September 29, 2025, USCIS announced that it had conducted Operation Twin Shield in the Twin Cities. Additional visits have since been reported. Going forward, anyone submitting an application of any kind to USCIS should be prepared for the possibility of a visit. (USCIS applications include OPT, STEM OPT, and J-2 EAD cards.) Student Legal Service has information about navigating a visit from USCIS. If you are contacted by USCIS, please contact ISSS through email or by making an appointment with an advisor.
STEM OPT
DHS conducts on-site visits at employers who hire international students in F-1 STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) status for the purpose of investigating the nature of the STEM employment training. STEM OPT employment is meant to provide students training in their field of study.
Generally, employers should receive a 48-hour advance notice prior to any site visit. Questions are most often about the nature of the employment and adherence to the training plan (employers and students should have a copy of the I-983 Form which serves as the training plan) to confirm compliance. The DHS website has more information about what to expect from a STEM OPT site visit.
SEVP Field Representatives
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which administers the F-1/J-1 visa programs, employs field representatives who serve as liaisons between SEVP and certified schools. Our regional SEVP field representative visits the University of Minnesota regularly to meet with ISSS staff. These visits are routine and typically serve as an opportunity for the SEVP field representative to share news and updates from SEVP.
H-1B Temporary Worker Program
As part of ongoing investigation of potential fraud in the H-1B Temporary Worker program, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) occasionally conducts unannounced visits to employers across the U.S. Such a visit usually starts by a DHS officer attempting to find and interview the H-1B employee at their work location, followed by the officer contacting ISSS, and sometimes contacting/visiting the employing department indicated on the petition filed by the University of Minnesota. These visits should not be a cause for alarm, as they are generally routine and selected at random.
Additionally, the Department of Labor (DOL) may conduct a site visit to an employer and may request to see certain documents related to the filing of a labor condition application (LCA). An LCA is required for all H-1B/E-3 petitions.
Refer to this additional guidance if you are contacted by a DHS or DOL officer for an H-1B/E-3 site visit.
Information about site visits for STEM OPT can be found here.
