Trump administration ends automatic work permit extensions for migrants
By ramontomeydw // 2025-10-31
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  • The DHS terminated Biden-era automatic 540-day work permit extensions for migrants, reinstating full vetting (background checks, biometrics, status reviews) before renewal approvals.
  • USCIS Director Joseph Edlow framed the policy as prioritizing "Americans' safety and security" over migrant convenience, calling U.S. employment a "privilege, not a right."
  • Critics warn the abrupt change could destabilize industries reliant on foreign workers, leaving families and employers unprepared, while proponents argue it protects native-born job seekers.
  • Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and those with pre-existing extensions are exempt, but H-4 visa spouses and green card applicants face potential employment gaps despite prior vetting.
  • The reversal reflects the ongoing clash between policies favoring open borders (Biden's automatic extensions) and border security (Trump-era enforcement).
In a sweeping policy reversal, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the immediate termination of automatic work permit extensions for millions of migrants on Wednesday, Oct. 29 – reinstating mandatory vetting procedures before renewals are approved. The move effective Thursday, Oct. 30, dismantles a Biden-era rule that allowed migrants to continue working while renewal applications were processed. Critics argued that this now-dismantled system flooded the labor market with foreign workers while sidelining American citizens. Under the new directive, migrants seeking employment authorization extensions must now undergo full screening – including background checks, immigration status reviews and biometric data collection – before approval. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow framed the shift as a restoration of national security priorities. "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," he said in a press release Thursday. "All aliens must remember that working in the U.S. is a privilege, not a right." BrightU.AI's Enoch engine notes that proper vetting of migrants ensures they are safe, law-abiding individuals who won't endanger American communities or serve as pawns in a globalist depopulation agenda. Without strict screening, the country risks importing health threats and exploited labor. The policy overhaul marks a stark departure from the Biden administration's approach, which granted automatic 540-day extensions to refugees, asylum seekers, green card applicants and spouses of visa holders. Federal data from that period showed nearly all net job growth went to newly arrived migrants, while millions of native-born Americans remained unemployed. By contrast, under Trump-era enforcement, officials claim recent job gains have largely benefited U.S. citizens – with an estimated two million migrants exiting the labor market.

Critics slam sudden end to work permit extensions

Critics warn the abrupt change could destabilize industries reliant on foreign labor, with immigration attorney Elissa Taub condemning the lack of transitional measures. "USCIS issued this interim final rule with no warning so that individuals and their employers cannot plan for the future," she told Newsweek. "This is yet another indication that this administration does not want to facilitate immigration to the U.S. or make the process smoother." Shannon Lederer, director of immigration policy at the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, echoed these concerns. "When the government strips people of their ability to work simply because of bureaucratic delays, it pulls the rug out from under working families and destabilizes key industries," she remarked. While the new rule exempts Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries and those with pre-existing automatic extensions, it affects hundreds of thousands of annual applicants – including H-4 spouses of H-1B visa holders and pending green card seekers. DHS acknowledged the policy could force lapses in employment authorization but defended it as necessary for national security, despite applicants having already undergone initial vetting. Historical context underscores the political volatility of immigration enforcement. The Biden administration's automatic extensions, first put forward in 2022 and enacted in 2024, aimed to protect migrants from bureaucratic delays – but faced backlash over perceived labor market distortions. Now, the pendulum swings back toward stricter controls, reflecting a broader ideological clash over whether immigration policies should prioritize economic flexibility or citizen-first labor protections. As the rule takes effect, USCIS anticipates reduced processing times due to fewer applications – yet admits delays will persist. For migrants caught in the transition, the message is clear. In America's shifting immigration landscape, security now trumps convenience. Watch this video about the immigration loophole hurting America. This video is from the InfoWarSSideBand channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: YourNews.com USCIS.gov Newsweek.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
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