The federal government extended temporary work authorizations for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who are waiting for final papers, according to The Hill.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) more than doubled its previous 180-day extension. It granted an automatic 540-day extension of authorization in an attempt to make it easier for immigrants to keep their work permits.
As a result of the near year and a half extension, immigrants will not have to pay fees for new Employment Authorization Documents during the course of the extension. The bulk of the USCIS’ budget comes from the application fees, which will further undercut its ability to regulate immigrants.
The extension will apply to a broad group of applications, including asylum-seekers, refugees, green card applications, Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries, and spouses of work visa holders, among others.
