The Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) extended this Monday to two years the temporary work permits for asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants, in an attempt to alleviate the collapse in the processing of these documents that is forcing many to leave their jobs.
The measure will also affect women victims of domestic violence who have applied for a permanent residence card, as well as people whose deportation is suspended (known as withholding of removal or
withholding of removal
).
[The Biden Administration eliminates a requirement imposed by Trump to obtain the 'green card']
Also, some immigrants with temporary protections from deportation will be able to obtain work permits until their protections expire.
How long does USCIS take to resolve an application?
A lawyer responds
Jan. 27, 202202:48
The USCIS update is effective immediately but will not affect work permits issued before Monday, February 7.
The pandemic and the changes in regulations imposed by the government of former President Donald Trump have created a huge backlog in immigration procedures, both at USCIS and in the immigration courts that consider deportation cases.
[The Government asks for the opinion of the public to avoid the separation of migrant families]
According to the American Immigration Council (AIC), “despite a national shortage of workers, asylum seekers with pending renewal of their work permits have lost or will lose jobs due to USCIS’s delay in renewal, which sometimes takes eleven months or more to be approved.”
The Biden Administration applies 'Stay in Mexico' to seven asylum seekers a day.
In the Trump era they reached 400 daily
Feb. 7, 202200:36
Last October, the Department of Labor reported that there were 11 million job vacancies, and "leading economic experts have long argued that allowing immigrants to work can play a critical role in alleviating labor shortages."
With information from Eph.