The United States Department of Homeland Security proposed a plan on Friday to restrict asylum seekers from obtaining work authorizations. The proposal would pause the issuance of work permits for asylum applicants until average processing times for certain asylum applications reached 180 days or lower.
Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, announced the plan in a statement released on Friday. The DHS stated that the pause on work permits would remain in effect until the department achieved faster processing times for asylum claims.
The DHS released a statement regarding the proposal. “Work permits issuance for asylum applicants would pause until average processing times for certain asylum applications reach 180 days or lower,” the department stated.
The proposal emerged as part of broader efforts to manage asylum processing and immigration enforcement. The plan focused on processing efficiency rather than expanding eligibility for work authorization.
The proposal entered the federal regulatory process. Stakeholders and affected individuals awaited further details on implementation timelines and potential legal challenges.
