The Trump Administration announced the reduction in the maximum period of validity of work permits, which will go from five years to 18 months for a wide range of immigrant categories in the US.
The measure, disclosed by the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will apply to all initial applications and renewals submitted from December 2, 2025while previously granted permits valid for five years will remain valid.
According to USCIS, the objective of the cut in Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) is to allow more frequent security investigations, in order to deter fraud and detect foreigners considered at risk, the site reported. Strong Coffee.
The agency’s director, Joseph Edlow, associated the change with the attack that occurred last week against members of the National Guard in Washington, DC, perpetrated by an Afghan immigrant admitted under Biden policies.
Who is affected by the new measure?
The regulation could impact thousands of Cuban immigrants who currently have pending casesincluding beneficiaries of humanitarian parole, people with I-220A, asylum seekers or immigrants waiting to obtain legal residency, he noted Strong Coffee.
USCIS confirmed that the return to the 18-month limit will apply to already admitted refugees, people with approved asylum, beneficiaries of withholding of deportation or removal, and asylum seekers with open cases.
The limit will also affect people with adjustment of status procedures in progress and those who have pending requests for cancellation of removal, suspension of deportation or immigration relief under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Aid to Central America Law, he said. Univision.
The statement also recalled that, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Law, approved for fiscal year 2026, certain groups will have work permits valid for a maximum of one year or until the expiration date of their temporary status, whichever comes first.
These groups will include TPS beneficiaries, applicants for that status, people with temporary stay permits (parole), refugees admitted under temporary permits and spouses of business owners under the International Parole Program.
Trump Administration and closing of the fence on immigrants
That one-year limit will also apply to any Form I-765 pending or filed after July 22, 2025.
The reduction in the validity of EADs adds to a chain of restrictive decisions that the Trump Administration has implemented since the attack in Washington DC.
In the following days, the director of USCIS announced the review of all green cards of immigrants from countries considered of concern, including Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Iran and Somalia.
Recently, they announced the temporary suspension of all asylum decisions while verification protocols are strengthened, he recalled. Univision.
The State Department also halted the issuance of visas for Afghan passport holders and later halted immigration benefits for citizens of 19 countries, leaving numerous applicants with canceled naturalization ceremonies and postponed interviews.
