New rules for U.S. work permits: Asylum seekers could lose their jobs under DHS proposal

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched a new proposal to limit who can legally work in the United States and when. The proposal applies to non-citizens but not skilled workers; the new proposal specifically targets those on humanitarian parole, non-DACA extension status and those who may face deportation.“DHS proposes to limit and clarify eligibility for discretionary employment authorization for aliens who are temporarily paroled into the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public interests, who have been granted withholding of removal, or who have been issued a final order of deportation, and who are temporarily released under a supervision order,” the proposal reads.But if the new proposals are implemented, they could be devastating for asylum seekers working in the United States. “I think the logic is to prevent people from seeking asylum in the United States,” said attorney Gordon Kwon, “because if they can’t work to support their families, then they have to work illegally or go hungry.”Under the proposal, DHS would significantly limit eligibility for “discretionary” employment authorization, requiring applicants to demonstrate financial need, pass enhanced background checks and meet stricter case-by-case standards. One of the new regulations says non-citizens seeking to renew their work permits must work for an employer that uses the E-Verify system. The changes also shorten the duration of many work permits to no more than one year and require renewal applicants to work for an employer that participates in the federal E-Verify system.

What the Department of Homeland Security thinks about the new proposal