More than 100 Business Organizations Sign Onto Council Letter Urging Congress to Reduce the Waiting Period for Asylum Seekers to Obtain Work Permits

This press release was originally published by the American Immigration Council.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2023—Today, the American Immigration Council joins over 100 business organizations, including chambers of commerce and trade associations throughout the country, to call on Congress to remove the current barrier to getting asylum seekers work permits quickly. The letter calls for the waiting period to be reduced from the current 180 mandatory days to 30 days and additional funding for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for faster work permit processing.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 9.6 million job openings, with an estimated 6.5 million people currently looking for work. Businesses are struggling with unprecedented worker shortages, especially in industries such as durable goods manufacturing, transportation, accommodation and food, wholesale and retail, and leisure and hospitality.

This letter was organized in partnership with the Refugee Advocacy Lab at Refugees International, the Asylum Seekers Advocacy Project, and American Immigration Lawyers Association, who are part of a growing movement calling for congressional solutions to allow asylum seekers to get to work more quickly.

The following is a statement from Rich André, director of State and Local Initiatives at the American Immigration Council:

“Across the country, there are too many open jobs without enough workers to fill them. There is a solution in plain sight: let asylum seekers work quickly. The current barrier is statutory, and it requires Congress to act. There are several proposals currently introduced in Congress that reduce the waiting period for asylum seekers to obtain work permits from 180 days to 30 and fund work permit processing so USCIS can increase its capacity to quickly process employees’ work permit renewals in the future. We urge Members of Congress to pass legislation that would make these crucial and critical changes that will bolster the workforce, allow businesses to grow, and further strengthen our economy.”

The following is a statement from Kate Brick, director of the Refugee Advocacy Lab at Refugees International:

“As local economies face historic labor shortages, there is no reason why people seeking asylum must wait six months—and often longer—to access the workforce. It’s a loss for people who want to provide for their families, for their communities, and for the businesses across the country who need their talent. There are clear, straightforward solutions on the table, and we cannot afford for Congress to waste any more time in getting them across the finish line so people can get to work.”

The following is a statement from Misty Chally, executive director of the Critical Labor Coalition:

“The workplace looks very different than it did pre-pandemic and it’s putting an extra strain on business owners in service-related industries. Restaurants, hotels and convenience stores are just a few of the industries struggling to fill positions which require employees to work in person. Lowering waiting periods for asylum seekers to receive work permits will help fill those positions, lower the demand for state and federal assistance and strengthen our economy. Employers need workers and asylum seekers want to work – this shouldn’t be a political issue.”

Read the full letter here and learn more about the #LetAsylumSeekersWork campaign here.