Trump administration reduces the validity period of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees from 5 years to 18 months

The latest blow to legal immigration in the United States has been dealt by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with the announcement of a reduction in the maximum validity period of work permits for asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), among others. The agency has justified its decision to conduct “more frequent verification” of foreigners working in the country and has confirmed that it will take effect on Friday, December 5, for both new and pending applications. Documents renewed before this date will remain valid for the period for which they were issued.

“Vetting an alien more often will enable USCIS to deter fraud and detect aliens with potentially harmful intent so they can be processed for removal from the United States,” says the statement published by the agency on its official website. Its director, Joseph Edlow, stated that “after the attack on National Guard service members in our nation’s capital by an alien who was admitted into this country by the previous administration, it’s even more clear that USCIS must conduct frequent vetting of aliens.”

The actions perpetrated by Rahmanullah Lakanwal — who arrived in the country through Operation Allies Welcome, a 2021 Biden administration program to receive tens of thousands of Afghans who worked with U.S. forces during the occupation of Afghanistan, but whose asylum application was approved by the Trump administration — have triggered a wave of anti-immigration actions affecting thousands of foreigners.

Last week, President Trump promised to “permanently pause migration” from “third world” countries. His words were followed by actions such as the suspension of all affirmative asylum decisions until further notice, the immediate cancellation of visas for Afghan citizens, and the pause of immigration benefits such as naturalizations and the issuance of green cards to people from a group of countries, including Venezuela and Cuba.

Immigrants impacted by the USCIS order

In the past, work permits granted to foreigners who received some form of immigration relief were valid for only two years. The massive influx of foreigners during the pandemic led the Biden administration to extend their validity to five years in order to reduce delays and speed up the delivery of documents. The reduction that Washington is now modifying applies to initial applications or renewals for these categories of immigrants:

• Foreign nationals admitted as refugees
• Foreign nationals granted asylum
• Foreign nationals granted suspension of deportation or removal
• Foreign nationals with pending applications for asylum or suspension of removal
• Foreign nationals with pending applications for adjustment of status under INA 245
• Aliens with pending applications for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or relief under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act

On the other hand, the USCIS statement also mentions that the Republican’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed in July of this year, determined that the validity period of work permits (initial and renewal) for foreigners on parole (as refugees or otherwise), immigrants with TPS (including those with a pending application), and foreign spouses of entrepreneurs on parole, will be one year or according to the end date of the parole period or the duration of Temporary Protected Status.

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