Representatives Send Letter To USCIS Director Expressing Concerns About Work Authorization Process For Asylees And Humanitarian Parolees

Sixteen members of Congress sent a letter to Ur Jaddou, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with a copy to David Neal, Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, expressing their concerns with the process for submitting Employment Authorization Document (EAD) applications for asylees and humanitarian parolees.

The letter notes barriers that may prevent EAD-eligible individuals from completing their forms and receiving work authorization. Most notably, the letter says that "the cost of filing a Form I-765 (an application for employment authorization) ranges from $470 to $520 starting April 1, 2024, for parole-based EAD submissions. Although parolees can apply for a fee waiver with Form I-912, there is no option to file it online, despite the fact that Form I-765 can be completed online and a discount is offered for doing so. Additionally, both Form I-765 and Form I-912 are only available in English." Furthermore, the letter