The Trump administration announced last week they shortened the work permit duration for asylum-seekers due to security concerns with immigrant populations.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its policy manual to cut the validity period for employment authorization documents from five years to 18 months.

The change affects asylum seekers and refugees who depend on an employment authorization document to work legally in the U.S.

The move comes after two National Guard soldiers were attacked by an afghan national in Washington, D.C.

USCIS said the new work permit duration will allow them to vet and screen immigrants more frequently when they file to renew their work permits.

“They want to cut down on fraud and abuse and they want to keep track of who has work permits,” McAllen immigration attorney Carlos Moctezuma Garcia said. “But perhaps that might be a small reason, but it's really just a continued attack on everything that immigrants are trying to do to make sure they comply here in the United States.”

More renewals mean more fees, and a higher chance of gaps in employment if permits expire before they're processed.

Experts say this could lead to stress and uncertainty.

“Let's not forget that work permits take a long time to come in.” Garcia said. “And so sometimes although a person applies in a timely fashion, it doesn't come in a timely fashion because the government delays in processing that work permit. So there may be a break in employment which would affect not only the employee but the employer as well."

This new rule doesn't affect anyone who has a TN, H-1B, L-1, O-1, and E-2 visa, as those workers get their employment authorization directly through their visa status.

USCIS said this applies to anyone who filed for a work permit after Dec. 5, 2025.

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