WASHINGTON, D.C. – FWD.us President Todd Schulte issued the following statement today after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted text of a final rule to permanently increase the automatic extension period for certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) to 540 days. The rule aims to prevent work authorization lapses and job losses for certain eligible immigrant workers, including people who have applied for asylum, caused by delays in USCIS processing of work permit renewals.

“We commend DHS for taking this important step to address the harmful delays in EAD renewals, and congratulate our partners for their work to make today a reality. This extension of the automatic renewal period will provide crucial relief to hundreds of thousands of immigrant workers and their families, protecting them from the devastating consequences of losing employment and access to driver’s licenses due to processing delays beyond their control. This rule ensures these workers can continue supporting their families while contributing to the U.S. businesses that employ them and communities that depend on them — and upholds the clear value that we are all better off if people keep their work authorization and don’t have it taken away.

“This regulatory change is a simple but meaningful victory. However, there remains a critical window to take additional popular, bipartisan, and commonsense steps to advance fairer immigration and criminal justice systems. These include the designation and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to safeguard migrants who cannot return safely to their home countries and bold clemency actions to commute outdated, harsh sentences that continue to keep thousands of individuals behind bars.”

The new rule will take effect 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register. FWD.us was part of a broad coalition of stakeholders, businesses, and advocacy groups that contributed to the rulemaking process through public comments.