Trump Administration Announces Major Overhaul of Work Permits for Humanitarian Protection Beneficiaries
The Trump administration announced a significant tightening of rules governing work permits for individuals benefiting from humanitarian protection on Thursday, December 4, 2025. Documents that were previously valid for up to five years will now be limited to a maximum of 18 months.
Justification for the Decision
The authorities justify this decision by citing national security and public order imperatives. This shift comes amidst a tense political climate, following an armed incident in Washington involving an individual admitted under a resettlement program. The event served as a catalyst for an accelerated review of migration policies.
Affected Categories
The measure affects several profiles of protected foreigners or those undergoing humanitarian procedures, including:
- Refugees already admitted to the United States
- Individuals recognized as asylum seekers
- Beneficiaries of a stay of deportation
- Asylum applicants whose procedure is still ongoing
- Applicants for adjustment of status (future Green Card)
- Individuals engaged in a procedure for suspension or cancellation of deportation, as well as cases falling under the NACARA law
For each of these statuses, any work authorization document currently under review or submitted after December 5 will be automatically capped at a maximum duration of 18 months.
Broader Context
This announcement comes as the USCIS has already decided, earlier in the week, to temporarily suspend the examination of applications for permanent residence or naturalization from nationals of 19 countries, further accentuating the ongoing migration crackdown.
