Every year, many people want to immigrate to the United States to change their lives for the better. That can mean many different things, but some come feeling persecution in their home country, either by their government or from an entity that their government cannot protect them from. They are often granted asylum or temporary protected status here in Louisiana. In the past, there were certain restrictions in place set by the Department of Homeland Security pertaining to employment for asylum-seekers. Recently, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a change that should help those applications, and supporters are hopeful it will help everyone involved in employment immigration.
The new rule will go into effect late next month. Before, the USCIS had only 30 days to grant or deny an application for employment authorization for asylum-seekers. This restriction is set to be lifted, giving USCIS more time to complete necessary background checks of applicants. USCIS says that to meet demand before meant it had to deprioritize other benefit requests.
Another improvement that will help asylum-seekers is that now they have up to 180 days before their work authorization expires to renew it. Previously, they only had 90 days, and this extension is meant to prevent them from having to stop working while their renewal is considered. USCIS says that asylum applications have increased dramatically since the previous rule was enacted over 20 years ago.
Being able to work can mean a world of difference for all kinds of immigrants. They can provide for themselves and their families as well as solidify their place in their new community. Whether a person is interested in asylum or is coming to this country specifically for work, they deserve the chance to become a productive member of society. It may be a good idea to work with an immigration attorney here in Louisiana to give an immigrant the best chance at that dream.