Which specific groups of immigrants are affected by the shortened work permit validity?

The shortened work permit validity affects asylum seekers, refugees, individuals with pending asylum applications, those exempted from deportation, and certain other noncitizens under humanitarian programs.

When does the new 18-month work permit validity period take effect?

The new 18-month validity period for work permits takes effect on December 5, 2025, and applies to all pending and future applications filed after that date.

What is the reason given by the Trump administration for reducing the work permit validity period?

The Trump administration states that reducing the validity period is intended to ensure that those seeking to work in the U.S. do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies.

Are there any exceptions or grandfathering provisions for those who already have a five-year work permit?

Individuals who already have a five-year work permit will retain its validity until expiration, but renewals after December 5, 2025, will only be valid for 18 months.

How does this change impact the backlog and processing of work permit applications?

Advocates warn that the shortened validity period will likely increase the backlog of work permit applications and could push more immigrants out of the workforce due to frequent renewals.

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21d ago

U.S. to Shorten Work Permit Validity for Asylum Seekers and Other Noncitizens

The U.S. government is reducing work permit validity for asylum seekers and noncitizens from five years to 18 months. This Trump administration policy, effective December 5, 2025, cites security.

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Overview

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The U.S. government is implementing a new policy to significantly reduce the validity period for certain immigration work permits.

This policy specifically targets Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) for foreign nationals seeking asylum or humanitarian programs.

The maximum validity period for initial and renewed EADs will decrease from five years to just 18 months.

Enacted by the Trump administration and USCIS, this change applies to applications filed after December 5, 2025.

The primary justification for this reduction in work permit duration is attributed to heightened security concerns.

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Analysis

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Center-leaning sources frame this story by portraying the Trump administration's immigration policy changes as a broad "crackdown" in direct response to the D.C. shooting. They use strong, evaluative language like "dramatically expanded" and "curtailing pathways," consistently linking the policy shifts to the single incident, emphasizing a reactive and expansive tightening of immigration procedures.

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U.S. tightens immigration work permits in latest move to expand crackdown

CBS News•21d ago

FAQ

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: The shortened work permit validity affects asylum seekers, refugees, individuals with pending asylum applications, those exempted from deportation, and certain other noncitizens under humanitarian programs.
Sources:
Notus.org
: The new 18-month validity period for work permits takes effect on December 5, 2025, and applies to all pending and future applications filed after that date.
Sources:
Notus.org
: The Trump administration states that reducing the validity period is intended to ensure that those seeking to work in the U.S. do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies.
Sources:
Notus.org
: Individuals who already have a five-year work permit will retain its validity until expiration, but renewals after December 5, 2025, will only be valid for 18 months.
Sources:
ASAP Together
: Advocates warn that the shortened validity period will likely increase the backlog of work permit applications and could push more immigrants out of the workforce due to frequent renewals.
Sources:
Notus.org

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