12 SEPT 2023
Over 100 Congress Members Join Wave of Calls Pushing the Biden Administration to Issue Work Permits to Immigrants Stuck in Limbo
Democratic leaders unite behind actionable solutions as GOP seeks to prolong chaos for political gain
WASHINGTON — Today, as first reported by Politico, 103 Members of Congress, led by Reps. Nadler and Jayapal, respective Ranking Members of the House Judiciary Committee and Immigration Subcommittee, released a letter urging the Biden administration to protect asylum seekers and long-settled undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The letter is the latest addition to ongoing efforts from Congressional Black Caucus leaders, Latino Senators, governors from both sides of the aisle, civil rights groups, battleground mayors and business leaders calling for the President to grant work authorization to immigrant workers amid a “worker-starved economy.”
As the Republican party in the halls of Congress and the campaign trail continue stoking the flames of fear and division with their toxic, anti-immigrant policies, Democratic leaders are coming together in support of practical solutions that can provide a path forward for immigrant families and ignite the American economy. The letter, endorsed by the Immigration Hub and organizations including AILA, FWD.us, and UnidosUS, emphasizes that the administration has an opportunity to bypass congressional inaction and make “significant and meaningful reforms” using existing administrative authorities.
Excerpts of the letter below detail the requested actions on behalf of the Biden administration:
“(1) Ease undue delays in granting work authorizations to asylum seekers.
Asylum seekers cannot obtain work authorization until a minimum of 180 days after they have filed an asylum claim. Because of significant immigration court backlogs, many asylum seekers must wait a substantial period of time before they can even file an asylum claim. . . . The administration should assist asylum seekers and their communities by decreasing this regulatory wait period. Asylum seekers should be permitted to apply for work authorization at the same time they file their asylum claim.”
“(2) Reduce the significant backlog in the “provisional waiver” program.
Provisional waivers allow individuals who are statutorily eligible for an immigrant visa but for their unlawful presence in the country to apply for a waiver of inadmissibility in the United States before they depart for their immigrant visa interview. The program has historically streamlined the family-based immigrant visa process. As of April 30, 2023, the processing time for a case was approximately 3.6 years, whereas the wait time in fiscal year 2018 was only 4.5 months.”
“(3) Establish a process to make non-lawful permanent resident cancellation of removal (cancellation of removal) more accessible to those who are eligible.
Lastly, we encourage the administration to establish a process to make non-lawful permanent resident cancellation of removal (cancellation of removal) more accessible to those who are eligible. Such a process would help to streamline cancellation of removal cases and increase access to lawful permanent resident status for immigrants who are vital contributors to their American families and our communities.”
To read a full copy of the letter, please click HERE.
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.