The Trump administration has reduced the maximum validity of work permits for refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants to 18 months from five years, tightening immigration rules two days after it froze applications from citizens of 19 countries subject to US travel restrictions.
The policy shift follows heightened scrutiny of vetting procedures after an Afghan national—admitted through a resettlement programme following the 2021 US military withdrawal—was accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, DC, on Nov. 26.
Joseph Edlow, director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), cited the attack as a justification for the change.
“Reducing the maximum validity period for employment authorisation 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. He added that more frequent vetting was now “necessary.”
The shortened permits will apply to refugees, beneficiaries of asylum, and migrants whose deportation has been suspended.
On Tuesday, the administration halted processing of green card, citizenship and other immigration applications for nationals of 19 countries already covered by travel restrictions, including Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela and Haiti.
Trump said after last week’s shooting that he planned to “permanently pause migration from all Third World countries.”
