NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Washington, D.C., December 7, 2025: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a significant policy shift that will reduce the maximum validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) from five years to 18 months, a move officials say is aimed at strengthening national security and enhancing fraud detection.
According to DHS and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the shorter validity period will allow for more frequent background checks on noncitizens who are authorized to work in the United States. The agency said the change is intended to improve identity verification, bolster security vetting, and remove individuals who may pose risks.
The new policy affects multiple categories of immigrants who rely on EADs for legal employment, including asylum seekers with pending cases, refugees, individuals granted withholding of removal, applicants for adjustment of status, and others in humanitarian or temporary protections. These groups will now be required to renew their work permits far more often, increasing the number of filings and potentially adding pressure to an already backlogged system.
Officials argue that the five-year validity period, introduced in 2023, limited the government’s ability to regularly re-screen applicants. With an 18-month cycle, DHS says it will be able to conduct more frequent checks to better detect fraud and ensure individuals remain eligible to work.
Immigration attorneys and advocacy groups have expressed concern that the shortened timeframe could lead to administrative delays, employment gaps, and financial burdens for applicants, who must pay filing fees and rely on timely USCIS processing to maintain work authorization. Employers who hire large numbers of immigrant workers worry the policy may contribute to uncertainty in hiring and retention, particularly in industries dependent on EAD holders.
The change does not affect individuals whose immigration status independently authorizes employment—such as H-1B workers or green card holders—who do not rely on EADs.
While DHS maintains that the new validity period enhances national security and identity integrity, critics say the policy marks a tightening of legal immigration pathways and could create new challenges for hundreds of thousands of workers navigating the system each year.
Cover photo courtesy: Kristi Noem/Wikipedia
