Aftermath of the Washington Attack: U.S. Reduces Work Permit Duration for Refugees

A new U.S. decision targets migrants following last week’s shooting near the White House.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump decided on Thursday to reduce the validity period of work permits for refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrants from five years to 18 months.

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This step, the latest in the administration’s comprehensive campaign against migrants, comes just two days after suspending immigration applications for citizens of 19 countries.

It also follows an incident in which an Afghan man shot two members of the National Guard last week. He had entered the United States through the resettlement program following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Joseph Edlow, director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), cited the shooting on November 26 in Washington as the reason for acting on work permits.

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In a statement, Edlow said, “Reducing the maximum validity period of work permits will ensure that those seeking to work in the United States do not threaten public safety or promote ideologies hostile to America.”

He added, “After the attack on two National Guard members in our nation’s capital by a foreign national allowed entry by the previous administration, it has become even clearer that USCIS must conduct repeated screenings of foreigners.”

The agency stated that the work permit measure will apply to migrants admitted as refugees, migrants granted asylum, and those whose deportation has been deferred.

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Last Tuesday, the Trump administration also suspended immigration applications for citizens of 19 countries already subject to travel restrictions.

Permanent residency (green card) and citizenship access have also been suspended for individuals from these countries, including Afghanistan, Yemen, Haiti, Venezuela, Sudan, and Somalia.

Trump had campaigned on a promise to deport millions of undocumented migrants. After the shooting targeting two National Guard members, he stated his intention to “permanently halt immigration from all Third World countries.”

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