he United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is recasting its work-permit system as part of a broader intelligence-driven approach to immigration monitoring, cutting the validity period for employment authorisation from five years to 18 months.
While the change affects thousands of non-citizens legally working in the United States, officials are presenting it not merely as a procedural shift, but as a recalibration of how frequently the government cross-checks immigration records against emerging security data.
According to Fox News, the agency argues that shorter validity periods will compel repeated background checks, allowing federal systems to capture new information on fraud risks, security alerts, or changes in an applicant’s profile that may not have been visible years earlier.
Director Joseph Edlow framed the move as a safeguard embedded within national security priorities.
“Reducing the maximum validity period for employment authorization will ensure that those seeking to work in the United States do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies,” he was quoted as saying.
Edlow also referenced a recent incident in Washington, stressing that frequent vetting is no longer optional in the current climate.
“After the attack on National Guard service members in our nation’s capital by an alien who was admitted into this country by the previous administration, it’s even more clear that USCIS must conduct frequent vetting of aliens.”
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that the United States government on Tuesday suspended the processing of all immigration applications from 19 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, raising fears of prolonged legal limbo for thousands of prospective immigrants.
President Donald Trump’s administration defended the decision, citing national security concerns following an attack on National Guard members in Washington last week. An Afghan national was arrested as a suspect.
Under the new policy, all applicants from the affected countries must undergo a comprehensive vetting process. The administration has not specified how long the pause will last or whether additional nations could be added.
Officials argued that the shift is necessary, saying it is intended to ensure the integrity of the immigration system and prevent what they called “security gaps.” Yet critics warn the move could leave thousands in legal uncertainty while the review continues.
Several of the countries on the list were already under partial travel bans. Countries facing the most severe restrictions include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
