Opinion: Depriving Asylum Seekers of Right to Work Would Do Far-Reaching Harm

"The proposed federal rule threatens to exacerbate these labor shortages and create unprecedented economic hardship that will have far-reaching implications."

"If this new rule goes into effect, individuals would not be permitted to apply for work permits until the government has cleared the backlog of affirmative asylum applications."

"The rule proposes to double the waiting period for new work permit applications from six months to a year, making the processing time six times longer."

"Right now, there are roughly 2.3 million adults in the United States legally working while completing the asylum process."

The U.S. faces a severe worker shortage exacerbated by recent immigration policies. A proposed rule by the Department of Homeland Security aims to restrict asylum seekers from applying for work permits until the backlog of applications is cleared, which could take decades. This rule would extend the waiting period for work permit applications and complicate the already difficult process. Currently, 2.3 million adults are legally working while awaiting asylum decisions, highlighting the critical role of employment authorization in their lives.

Read at City Limits