U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday (December 4, 2025) cut to 18 months from five years the period of time work permits are valid for refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants.
The move, the latest in the administration's sweeping immigration crackdown, took place just two days after it halted immigration applications for citizens from 19 nations.
Man charged in National Guard shooting pleads not guilty during court appearance from hospital
The move also came after two National Guard members were allegedly shot last week by an Afghan man who entered the United States as part of a resettlement program following the American military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), cited the November 26 shooting in the US capital as a reason for the work permit move.
