Tell Congress to Support the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act
There is no good reason for preventing asylum seekers in the United States from contributing their much-needed skills to the workforce and supporting themselves and their families.
Our current system does just that by subjecting asylum seekers to unnecessarily long waiting periods to receive their work permits.
The good news is that there is currently a bill in Congress that could significantly support asylum seekers by making it easier and faster for them to receive work permits — but we need your help today to pressure lawmakers to pass this legislation!
This proposed bill would:
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Reduce the waiting period for asylum seekers’ work permits from 180 days to 30 days;
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Remove the need for asylum seekers to have to renew their work permit every two years;
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Provide work authorization for as long as one’s asylum application is pending.
These are critical improvements that would support asylum seekers by allowing them to start working and securing economic independence.
Can you join us ask your member of Congress to support the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act?
The right to work is one of the most basic human rights. Earning an income provides economic independence and dignity for people trying to start their lives in a new country.
If passed, this legislation could be life-changing for asylum seekers. The current waiting period for work permits force asylum seekers, who have often already been through harrowing experiences before they sought safety in the U.S., to find other ways to secure an income. Without a work permit, people may be left with no choice but to work “under the table” with an exploitative employer, no fair wage, and no workers’ rights.
