Maine’s Governor and two federal lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to make permanent a temporary rule that extends the work authorization period for immigrants and asylum seekers. They argue that the current backlog threatens the livelihood of both workers and employers, especially amid ongoing staffing shortages.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, independent U.S. Sen. Angus King, and Democratic Gov. Janet Mills sent a letter on Friday to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou. In the letter, they call for the swift permanent adoption of the rule that allows for automatic extensions of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for up to 540 days.
“EADs help immigrants and asylum seekers support themselves and their families while adjusting to life in the U.S. and navigating the legal process,” the lawmakers wrote. “They also provide crucial support to employers.”
The lawmakers noted that Maine has nearly two open jobs for every job seeker. They emphasized that every available worker is crucial to the state’s economy.
The rule change, which temporarily extended the work authorization period from 180 days to 540 days, was issued in April. The Maine officials are now pushing for this extension to become permanent. Without this change, the current USCIS processing time of 12 months would surpass the automatic extension period.
As of June 30, 2024, there were 900,000 individuals waiting for initial EAD applications to be processed, along with another 500,000 waiting for renewals. USCIS expects this backlog to grow, which means delays in work authorizations and renewals will continue.
“While we appreciate USCIS’s efforts to address the issue, such as using supplemental funding and investing in new technology, more relief is necessary,” the lawmakers wrote.
Maine’s leaders have also been advocating for faster processing of work authorizations. Currently, asylum seekers must wait 180 days after applying for asylum before they can apply for a work permit. Immigrant rights groups in Maine argue that reducing this waiting period would help address housing shortages and ease the strain on the workforce.
In 2023, Pingree introduced a bill in the U.S. House to reduce the waiting period to 30 days and eliminate the two-year renewal cycle, which she argues creates unnecessary delays and burdens on USCIS.
Senators King and Susan Collins, along with Pingree, have also introduced similar proposals in the Senate. However, their version requires asylum seekers to enter the U.S. through an official port of entry, which has made Pingree’s version more popular among immigrant rights advocates in Maine.
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