- What is the policy?
- An Employment Authorization Document (EAD) permits non-citizens in specific immigration categories to work legally in the United States. These categories include asylum applicants, individuals with pending adjustment-of-status applications (green card applicants), certain H-1B or L-1 spouses, DACA recipients, and others who depend on uninterrupted employment authorization while navigating the immigration system.
- What are recent changes?
- In December 2024, DHS briefly expanded automatic extensions from 180 days to 540 days to address severe processing backlogs, but this expansion was short-lived. The far more consequential change came on October 30, 2025, when DHS issued an Interim Final Rule eliminating automatic extensions for most EAD categories. Under this 2025 rule, renewal applications filed on or after that date no longer receive any automatic extension, except for a narrow set of humanitarian classifications. The rule represents a sharp reversal of prior policy and removes the primary safeguard that had allowed many workers to maintain employment while USCIS adjudicated renewals. By eliminating the extension, the 2025 action reintroduces the risk of abrupt employment loss if processing delays outpace the expiration of an existing EAD–an outcome DHS itself had previously acknowledged as harmful to families, employers, and the broader labor market.
- How does it impact South Asians?
- This policy shift has significant implications for South Asian American communities, particularly for individuals on H-4 visas, those navigating lengthy employment-based green card backlogs, and families relying on stable income during years-long immigration processing. The removal of automatic extensions increases the likelihood that workers will face sudden lapses in work authorization if USCIS does not complete renewals in time. This can result in lost wages, employer uncertainty about continued sponsorship, disruptions in healthcare coverage, and long-term career setbacks. For South Asian immigrants who already experience some of the longest wait times in the U.S. immigration system, the 2025 rule deepens instability and heightens stress during transitions between statuses.