U.S. strengthens restrictions on immigration work permits in latest effort to increase crackdown

The Trump administration announced on Thursday a significant change to the duration of work permits for refugees, asylees, and other immigrants with legal protections in the United States. This move is part of broader efforts to strengthen immigration enforcement.

The revised rules also affect immigrants with pending applications for asylum or permanent residency, commonly referred to as green cards. These processes often take years to resolve due to a large backlog of cases.

Under the updated policy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will limit the validity of work permits to a maximum of 18 months, a sharp reduction from the current five-year period.

USCIS cited last weeks attack on two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., as a reason for the change, stating that shorter work permit periods will allow more frequent vetting and security checks for those seeking employment authorization.

The suspect in the attack, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the U.S. in September 2021. His asylum request was approved in April 2025.

"Shortening the maximum work permit duration ensures that individuals seeking employment in the U.S. do not pose a threat to public safety or promote harmful ideologies," USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated. "Following the attack in our nations capital, frequent vetting of applicants is even more crucial."

The policy applies to work permit applications submitted on or after Friday, Dec. 5, as well as pending applications as of that date.

In response to the recent D.C. shooting, the administration has intensified its immigration restrictions, limiting pathways for certain immigrants to legally enter or remain in the country. This includes freezing all asylum requests processed by USCIS, pausing visa and immigration applications from Afghan nationals, and halting legal proceedingsincluding citizenship ceremoniesfor nationals from the 19 countries listed under Trumps travel ban.

Officials have indicated that the travel ban may be expanded to 30 countries in response to the incident in D.C.

Author: Jackson Miller