The United States government has introduced new restrictions that shorten employment authorization periods for several categories of immigrants. Under the change, the maximum validity period for work authorization will be reduced from five years to 18 months. The policy follows a shooting incident involving an Afghan national who had been granted asylum.
According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow, "Reducing the maximum validity period for employment authorization will ensure that those seeking to work in the United States do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies." He added that the agency must conduct more frequent vetting.
The change applies to multiple groups, including refugees, individuals granted asylum, individuals with withholding of removal, applicants with pending asylum or withholding cases, applicants adjusting status, such as those seeking permanent residency, and individuals covered under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act of 1997. That law applies to certain Nicaraguans, Cubans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, nationals of former Soviet bloc countries, and their dependents who applied for asylum in the 1990s.
In addition to the shortened authorization period, USCIS fees have increased following federal tax and spending legislation passed earlier in the year. The cost for initial employment authorization is now US$550, with renewals priced at US$275.
The shooting referenced by USCIS resulted in the death of U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, while a U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains hospitalized. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, has pleaded not guilty to several charges.
The administration has also paused all immigration applications from 19 countries previously listed as "high-risk" under an existing travel ban. The pause affects processing for permanent residency and citizenship applications.
The revised policy is expected to increase the number of work authorization renewals handled by USCIS, potentially adding to existing processing backlogs.
Source: News From The States
