From 5 years to 18 months: US cuts refugee, asylum work permits as Trump tightens vetting after DC shooting

The administration has also broadened security-based screening measures in recent weeks, including a temporary hold on benefit adjudications for nationals of 19 countries following the D.C. incident.

The Trump administration on Thursday shortened the duration of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees from five years to 18 months, citing security risks flagged after the recent Washington, D.C., shooting involving an Afghan national. The decision is set to affect thousands of foreign nationals who rely on Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs) to legally work in the United States.

USCIS said the revised validity period applies to refugees, individuals granted asylum or withholding of removal, and applicants awaiting decisions on asylum or adjustment of status. All EAD applications pending or filed on or after December 5, 2025, will fall under the new rules.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said shorter validity windows will allow the agency to 'conduct more frequent vetting' to detect fraud or national-security risks.

USCIS is reducing the validity period of work permits to enhance vetting, deter fraud, and identify potential threats more frequently. Learn more: https://t.co/YVq9l33t5Gpic.twitter.com/rZSug5vSNI

— USCIS (@USCIS) December 4, 2025

He linked the move directly to the attack on two National Guard soldiers near a Washington metro station, allegedly carried out by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who first entered the US under Operation Allies Welcome in 2021 and was granted asylum this year.

Why now?

The policy change follows the November shooting in Washington, which the administration has used to argue for closer scrutiny of immigration pathways. Within days of the attack, the White House paused all immigration benefits for applicants from 19 “high-risk” countries.

USCIS confirmed that the freeze applies regardless of when an individual entered the US. The list includes Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Burma, Libya, Sudan, Haiti, Chad, Venezuela, and 10 others.

What the policy manual now says

The agency’s updated guidance also incorporates provisions from the H.R. 1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed on July 4, 2025. Under the law, EADs for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, parolees, and spouses of entrepreneur parole beneficiaries will be capped at one year or the end of the approved status period, whichever is earlier.

USCIS said the changes are designed to align work authorization more closely with immigration status and strengthen periodic background checks.

Context: A sharp reversal

Until now, many of these categories enjoyed five-year EAD validity, a shift introduced in 2023 to ease administrative backlogs. The return to 18-month cycles marks a major reversal and places the United States closer to European systems, where asylum-linked work permits typically run one to two years.

The administration has also broadened security-based screening measures in recent weeks, including a temporary hold on benefit adjudications for nationals of 19 countries following the D.C. incident.