I know folks have very different views on immigration, including very different opinions about the number of folks per year to admit--and that's fine. But this policy makes no sense, outside of just being mean and stripping people of the legal right to work.

As background: to be authorized to work in the States, one must have a basis to apply for work authorization, which means the person was already admitted and vetted by ICE/CBP. They might have other paperwork pending to change their immigration status (e.g. from Visa to green card), but they're not an unknown rando who snuck through the border.

Previously, if someone applied to renew their employment authorization, they got an automatic extension until the gov't made a decision on the application, because the government often takes more than a year to make a decision, and in the meantime people need to work. (Otherwise, you're incentivizing criminal activity, etc.)

Today, the administration cancelled the temporary automatic renewal policy, allegedly to "protect Americans." I see no way this protects Americans. It harms employees and employers and the economy.

From the gov't:

quote:
New rule prioritizes vetting, screening to protect public safety, national security

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security has announced an interim final rule ending the practice of automatically extending employment authorization documents for aliens filing renewal applications in certain employment authorization categories. With this rule, DHS prioritizes the proper screening and vetting of aliens before extending the validity of their employment authorizations.

Aliens who file to renew their EAD on or after Oct. 30, 2025, will no longer receive an automatic extension of their EAD. There are limited exceptions to this rule, including extensions provided by law or through a Federal Register notice for TPS-related employment documentation. Ending automatic extensions of EADs results in more frequent vetting of aliens who apply for employment authorization to work in the United States. Reviewing an alien’s background more often will enable U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to deter fraud and detect aliens with potentially harmful intent so they can be processed for removal from the United States.

“USCIS is placing a renewed emphasis on robust alien screening and vetting, eliminating policies the former administration implemented that prioritized aliens’ convenience ahead of Americans’ safety and security,” said USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. “It’s a commonsense measure to ensure appropriate vetting and screening has been completed before an alien’s employment authorization or documentation is extended. All aliens must remember that working in the United States is a privilege, not a right.”

USCIS recommends aliens seek a timely renewal of their EAD by properly filing a renewal application up to 180 days before their EAD expires. The longer an alien waits to file an EAD renewal application, the more likely it is that they may experience a temporary lapse in their employment authorization or documentation.

The interim final rule does not affect EADs automatically extended before Oct. 30, 2025.