Overview
- USCIS cut the maximum validity of many Employment Authorization Documents from five years to 18 months starting Dec. 5, with some parole- and TPS-linked cards capped at one year.
- Permits issued before Dec. 4 keep their printed validity, but renewals must be filed earlier as an October final rule ended certain automatic EAD extensions for applications filed on or after Oct. 30.
- A Dec. 2 memorandum directs individualized, case-by-case security reviews and suspends processing of I-90, I-485, I-131 and I-751 benefits, and pauses asylum decisions, for nationals of 19 designated countries.
- USCIS warned temporary visitors that overstays can lead to removal and pointed users to CBP Home’s “Regreso a casa” voluntary-return option offering travel assistance and waived penalties.
- Reporting notes the steps are expected to lengthen already significant backlogs, with over 1.1 million I-485 cases pending in early 2025 and heightened risks of employment and travel interruptions for affected applicants.