Trump moves to suspend work permits for asylum seekers indefinitely

 

United States President, Donald Trump, has unveiled a proposal that could halt the issuance of work permits to asylum seekers for years, marking what could become one of the most far-reaching adjustments to asylum-related employment policy in decades.

The proposed rule, released on Friday by the US Department of Homeland Security, aims to suspend new work authorisations for asylum applicants until average processing times for specified asylum cases fall to 180 days or fewer.

According to current backlog data, the department projects that reaching that target could take anywhere between 14 and 173 years.

Nevertheless, DHS indicated that administrative reforms and efficiency-driven measures might help accelerate the process.

In a statement, DHS said the rule, if finalised, “would reduce the incentive to file frivolous, fraudulent, or otherwise meritless asylum claims.”

It added that employment authorisation “is not an entitlement” but is granted at the discretion of the DHS secretary.

If implemented, the proposal would generally prevent migrants who entered the United States unlawfully from securing new work permits or renewing existing ones.

However, limited exemptions would apply to individuals who informed US border authorities within 48 hours of arrival that they feared persecution, torture, or had another urgent reason for crossing illegally.

The measure forms part of a broader immigration clampdown by the Trump administration aimed at curbing both documented and undocumented migration.

Trump, a Republican who returned to office in 2025, campaigned on a platform that portrayed immigrants and asylum seekers as criminals and economic burdens on U.S. communities, assertions that critics argue are not supported by evidence.

Immigrant advocacy organisations and some Democratic lawmakers have faulted the administration’s strict immigration stance, arguing that it weakens established U.S. and international asylum protections.

The proposal will be subject to a 60-day public comment period once it is formally published in the Federal Register on Monday.
The regulatory procedure could stretch over several months or even years before any final decision is reached, with legal challenges widely anticipated.