WASHINGTON, D.C. – FWD.us President Todd Schulte issued the following statement today after the Trump administration announced it will end the practice of automatically extending work permits to individuals who have filed to renew them, including refugees, those who have been granted asylum, spouses of H-1B holders, and more:
"Ending the automatic extension of work permits is yet another intentional effort to strip away the ability for immigrants to work legally in the United States. Automatically extending work permits is a common-sense solution that protects businesses from processing delays while allowing sufficient time for the government to complete re-vetting of applicants to ensure continued eligibility.
"This decision will throw hundreds of thousands of people—and their employers and families— into chaos. These are individuals who have legal status, have been vetted, and include people who have often been in the US for many, many years or decades. Preemptively denying people's ability to support themselves and fully contribute — let alone using that effort to justify attacking individuals who will then lose their jobs — is simply wrong. We should be creating more on-ramps, like modernizing and streamlining work authorization renewal, not roadblocks for people who are already part of our communities and vital to our economy."
Additional FWD.us Resources:
- The Administration's New Immigration Policies Will Increase Prices for All Americans
- Losing Status: How Efforts to Revoke Legal Status are Impacting the U.S. Economy
- Immigration Benefits All Americans and Strengthens the Economy
About FWD.us: FWD.us is a bipartisan political organization that believes America's families, communities, and economy thrive when more individuals are able to achieve their full potential. For too long, our failed immigration and criminal justice systems have locked too many people out of the American dream. Founded by leaders in the technology and business communities, we seek to grow and galvanize political support to break through gridlock and achieve meaningful reforms. Together, we can move America forward.