New York Attorney General Letitia James led a multistate coalition of 19 attorneys general calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expedite and expand access to work authorization for newly arrived immigrants, especially asylum seekers and the migrants.
In a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the coalition commends the department’s efforts in September to remove barriers to obtaining work authorization and calls for additional measures to protect new immigrants and make it easier to support their families by ensuring they have stable jobs. .
“New immigrants, many of whom fled terrible circumstances in search of a better life in the United States, deserve a chance to find stable, well-paying jobs,” said the Attorney General. “It is unacceptable that after all the suffering they have endured on their journey, they encounter bureaucratic obstacles that prevent them from pursuing the American dream. “Asylum seekers and immigrants are particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, and I thank my fellow attorneys general for joining this effort to ensure they are treated with dignity,” the official added.
While many new immigrants, including those seeking asylum, are eager to find employment to support themselves and their families, without work authorization they have been forced to rely on state and local safety net programs for food and shelter. . As the coalition of attorneys general points out, the arduous process of obtaining work authorization leaves many immigrant families without stable housing and forces some to seek work in the informal economy, where they are subject to exploitation.
Delays in approving work authorization permits have led to months-long wait times for approval. Migrants from regions like Haiti have been disproportionately affected as their humanitarian parole status expires before they are granted work authorization. These structural barriers prevent these vulnerable populations from becoming self-sufficient and building stable lives in the United States.
The coalition fully supports DHS’s previous actions to improve access to work authorization, which included expediting application processing and increasing the amount of time work authorization permits are valid. However, the coalition’s letter notes that additional measures are needed to remove the barriers new immigrants face in finding stable jobs to support themselves. The coalition recommends that DHS take four additional steps to expedite access to work authorization:
In August, the Attorney General busted a fraudulent immigrant assistance provider who deceived and intimidated immigrants in Westchester County and New York City.
2023-12-26 20:00:00
#create #coalition #accelerate #work #processes #arrived #immigrants #Diario
