Asylum Seekers Face Potential Work Restrictions Amid Policy Changes
Amal Khalifa, who fled Egypt for the United States in 2019, recently shared a poignant experience: for the first time, she felt recognized as a human being after reporting domestic violence to law enforcement. Khalifa expressed her gratitude for the supportive system in place, stating, “I like the system here. It’s there to help people.”
Having secured asylum last year due to fears of returning to Egypt—where she faced persecution for exposing government corruption and pressure from the Muslim Brotherhood—Khalifa now faces new challenges. Following her arrival in the U.S. and a separation from her ex-fiancé, she has had to navigate her asylum process independently. Khalifa successfully worked as an auditor with the New York State Department of Labor, largely thanks to the legal work permit she obtained after filing a lawsuit.
However, the future for asylum seekers seeking work looks increasingly uncertain. Currently, individuals applying for asylum must wait six months before they can legally seek employment. The Trump administration is proposing to extend this waiting period to a full year. Although public comments on the proposed rule closed on April 24, no effective date for the change has been announced yet.
The proposed regulations include a moratorium on new work permit applications due to a backlog of 1.4 million asylum cases. This delay could result in a staggering halt of new and renewal applications for an estimated 173 years, starting from 2014. A coalition of immigration advocacy groups, known as The Forum, warned that these rules would effectively rob asylum seekers of their ability to support themselves legally, leading to increased poverty and competition for jobs from undocumented workers.
If the new rules take effect, the Department of Homeland Security anticipates that at least 500,000 asylum applications would be affected immediately, leading to estimated annual wage losses ranging from $27 billion to $127 billion. The impacts do not stop with new applications, as the renewal process will also face significant hurdles. Future changes could limit employment authorization renewals to just 18 months compared to the previous five-year limit.
Colleen Putzel Kavanaugh, an associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, emphasized that the proposed changes will complicate both the initial acquisition and maintenance of work authorization. The Department of Homeland Security claims that these measures aim to deter “frivolous” asylum claims and prioritize genuine refugees seeking safety.
Amy Grenier, associate director of government affairs at the American Immigration Lawyers Association, criticized the proposal as an excessive and misguided approach to managing asylum claims. The Migration Policy Institute has suggested alternatives, such as deploying trained asylum officers at the border to expedite cases before they become entangled in immigration court backlogs.
The proposed regulations could further exacerbate the situation for migrants, particularly those who sought asylum during the early part of this decade. An analysis by the Dallas Federal Reserve revealed that around 550,000 immigrants without legal status exited the United States last year, either through deportation or voluntary departure, which has negatively impacted employment growth while keeping the unemployment rate stable.
Organizations dedicated to connecting asylum seekers with job opportunities have voiced strong opposition to the proposed rules, highlighting the need for qualified workers in various sectors, especially healthcare. Abigail Ziv, chief program officer at Upwardly Global, noted that there are over 270,000 underemployed immigrants in the U.S. trained in healthcare professions in their home countries. She stressed that cutting employment permits would hinder labor shortages in critical sectors.
Gideon Maltz, CEO of the Tent Partnership for Refugees, echoed these sentiments, pointing out that a reduction in employment permits not only affects those seeking refuge but also the businesses and communities that depend on their contributions. Many asylum seekers, according to Ernesto Castañeda, director at the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, end up in precarious, low-wage gig economy jobs while awaiting work permits.
The New York State Department of Labor recently launched a program aimed at connecting asylum seekers with valid work permits to employment in various sectors, including home healthcare and food processing, as a means to alleviate pressure on immigrant shelters. The proposed federal regulations imply that American workers could benefit from fewer immigrants in the workforce, suggesting that local economies might see reduced burdens on social services.
Historically, similar attempts during the first Trump administration to limit work permits for asylum seekers were struck down by the courts. Initiatives such as the proposed one-year waiting period and longer processing times were revoked after a judge ruled that previous officials did not have the authority to enact them.
