The Trump administration slashes work permit validity for refugees and asylum seekers from five years to 18 months, citing public safety concerns.
WASHINGTON: The United States has drastically reduced the validity period of work permits for refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants.
The Trump administration announced the change on Thursday, cutting the maximum validity from five years down to just 18 months.
The move is part of a broader immigration crackdown and follows a recent halt on immigration applications from citizens of 19 nations.
It also comes after two National Guard members were allegedly shot last week by an Afghan man admitted to the US via a post-withdrawal resettlement program.
Joseph Edlow, director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), cited that shooting as a reason for the policy shift.
“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,” Edlow said in a statement.
“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,” he said.
The new rule will apply to migrants admitted as refugees, those granted asylum and individuals whose deportation has been suspended.
This policy follows Tuesday’s action to halt immigration applications from 19 countries already under travel restrictions.
Processing for green cards and citizenship was stopped for people from those nations, which include Afghanistan, Yemen, Haiti, Venezuela, Sudan and Somalia.
President Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to deport millions of undocumented migrants.
Following the National Guard shooting, he stated he planned to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries.” – AFP
