• Proposed US rule could delay asylum seekers' work permits for years.
• Eligibility for work permits may now require a one-year waiting period.
• Critics claim this move could severely impact U.S. families and the economy.

The Trump administration has revealed a sweeping proposal that could lead to an indefinite pause on new work permits for asylum seekers. Under the draft regulation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), work permit applications would not be accepted until average processing times for asylum cases drop to 180 days or fewer. Currently, the backlog indicates that it may take as long as 14 to 173 years to reach such processing times, leaving asylum applicants in limbo for an extended period, possibly many years, according to Los Angeles Times, Reuters, and Channel News Asia.

Key changes proposed include extending the wait time for asylum seekers to apply for work permits from 150 days to 365 days. The proposal seeks to discourage migrants from filing asylum applications simply to gain entry into the country and work authorization, framing it as a means to reduce the processing load on the overwhelmed immigration system. Critics, including immigrant advocates, have condemned the new rules as "catastrophic," claiming that they not only affect individual asylum seekers but also have broader economic implications, according to CBS News and Reuters.

The regulation aims to restrict asylum seekers who entered the U.S. illegally from obtaining work permits unless specific conditions are met, such as informing authorities within 48 hours about their fears of persecution. This further underscores the administration's emphasis on stringent enforcement and national security, according to CBS News and Los Angeles Times.

Many advocates believe these measures undermine existing U.S. and international protections for asylum seekers. The proposed changes have drawn significant backlash, with forecasts indicating that they could displace over a million immigrant workers from the labor market, adding strain to communities across the nation. "Forcing individuals who are working and living in the United States legally out of their jobs is not only cruel, but it is bad policy," stated Conchita Cruz, co-executive director of the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, according to Channel News Asia and CBS News.