A Redditor reported that his Mexican girlfriend was detained by ICE in Atlanta after her Optional Practical Training (OPT) application was denied due to an apparent date error. Despite having no criminal record and being within a 60-day grace period provided following the denial, she was arrested based on an outstanding warrant. The Redditor seeks advice from others who have experienced similar situations involving ICE detention during pending appeals for OPT denials.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A Redditor reported that his girlfriend, who held a valid F-1 visa in the United States and applied for Optional Practical Training (OPT), was detained by ICE in Atlanta after her OPT application was denied due to what appears to be a date-related error. The denial came with a 60-day grace period, which would not have expired until October but was ignored when ICE agents approached her with an arrest warrant at a public place.
Despite having no criminal record and no prior removal order, the girlfriend was questioned by ICE about staying in the U.S. after her OPT application was denied. An immigration attorney filed a motion challenging this decision while she remained in custody pending further review. Her school informed her that her grace period had started following the denial, but ICE detained her before it expired.
The Redditor is currently seeking an immigration lawyer to handle his girlfriend's case and is reaching out for support from anyone who has experienced similar detention by ICE during the appeal process of their OPT application.
Written for “ICE Detention After Opt Denial” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.25, but all 2 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 17047: attributed speech only · logged 2026-09-18
A Redditor claimed that his girlfriend, who was in the US on a valid F-1 visa, was detained by ICE in Atlanta after her OPT application was denied.
asserted
application → claim → Atlanta
The Redditor said the OPT application was denied because of an apparent error with dates, against which an appeal has already been filed, and she was given a 60-day grace period that would not have expired until October.
asserted
that → say → October
"ICE agents approached her in a public place with an arrest warrant.
asserted
agents → approach → warrant
From what I've heard, they questioned why she was still in the U.S. after her OPT denial.
asserted
she → hear → denial
She has no criminal record and, to my knowledge, no prior removal order," the Redditor said.
asserted
Redditor → have → knowledge
"Her school informed her that her grace period had started following the denial.
asserted
period → inform → denial
An immigration attorney subsequently filed a motion challenging the decision, but ICE detained her while the motion was still pending," the post said detailing the case
"
asserted
post → file → case
She is currently in custody, and we have not yet confirmed whether a removal order exists.
asserted
order → confirm → custody
I'm currently working on hiring an immigration attorney to handle her detention, but I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced a similar situation.
asserted
who → work → situation
Has anyone experienced ICE detention while an OPT motion was pending?" the Redditor asked.
asserted
Redditor → experience → detention
The nationality of the girlfriend was revealed to be Mexican.
asserted
nationality → reveal → girlfriend
What happens after an OPT denial?
asserted
What → happen → denial
An OPT denial does not automatically mean that the student has to leave the US that same day.
asserted
student → mean → US
The key issue is what happens to the student's underlying F-1 status and whether the student is still within an applicable grace period.
asserted
student → happen → period
Under the F-1 rules, students generally receive up to 60 days after completing their course of study and authorized practical training to prepare for departure or take other steps to maintain status.
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students → receive → status
USCIS also recognizes this 60-day period in its guidance on unlawful presence.
asserted
USCIS → recognize → presence
It says that when OPT is withdrawn or denied, the OPT authorization ends and the 60-day grace period runs from the date of the withdrawal or denial.
asserted
period → say → withdrawal
The guidance says the student must either leave the US when that grace period expires or take other steps to maintain status.
asserted
period → say → status
Many social media users commented that the grace period is discretionary and can be revoked.
asserted
period → comment → ?
"USCIS status decisions and ICE enforcement don't always move in sync.
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decisions → move → sync
Grace period status isn't always reflected in real-time in the databases ICE checks, and having a pending motion to reopen/reconsider doesn't automatically stop enforcement action.
asserted
having → reflect → action
'No criminal record' doesn't help much here.
asserted
record → help → ?
If there's no final order, an immigration judge may be able to set bond.
uncertain
judge → be → bond
This is usually the fastest way to get someone out of physical detention while the case proceeds," one suggested.
uncertain
one → get → detention
Why the case matters to international students
asserted
case → matter → students
Though there is no verified information about this particular case, the Reddit post t comes at a particularly sensitive time for international students in the US.
asserted
post → be → US
OPT is one of the main routes through which F-1 graduates obtain temporary work authorization after completing their studies.
asserted
graduates → obtain → studies
The administration is cracking down on OPT abuse and many students may get OPT denied.
uncertain
OPT → crack → abuse
The Aporia
