This week in immigration news – March 17, 2022

U.S. work permit backlog is costing immigrants their jobs 

The work permit backlog has gone from 5.5 months to 7.5 months to 12.5 months. Even though work permits are valid for 180 days after the person has applied for renewal, this isn’t enough time now for people to keep working at their jobs.  

Immigrant workers are play a key role in the country’s economic recovery and regularizing their work status will reduce labor shortages and supply chain bottlenecks.  

These delays are affecting immigrants who applied for green cards or those who applied for asylum. This also has impacts across the economy when  

Trump appointees are helping Texas derail Biden’s immigration agenda 

Twenty cases have been filed in Texas-based federal courts, and Trump appointees have heard 16 of these cases, ruling in Texas’s favor seven times—with the other nine cases still pending.  

NYC comptroller: Health coverage for undocumented New Yorkers would aid economy 

A plan to extend health coverage to undocumented workers in New York state could potentially put $20 million in the pockets of workers and save the health care system $19 million by reducing emergency room visits, in addition to adding $710 million to the state’s economy.  

DHS gives temporary protected status to Afghans in US 

This expansion allows Afghans who came to the United States prior to March 15 to stay for 18 months. While this measure is aimed at the Afghans who escaped the Taliban takeover, the federal government has also signaled that they’re providing additional protection for Afghans who have aided the U.S. military in the past.