USCIS Contacting Migrants in Work Permit Push

 Posted on September 12, 2023 in Immigration

Earlier this month, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began sending text messages and emails to migrants who are eligible to apply for work authorization permits. The notifications are only for certain immigrants who meet the required stipulations. The following is a brief overview of the program. If you have received a message from USCIS or are unsure if you qualify, contact an Illinois immigration lawyer for legal help.

Work Authorization Notifications

According to announcements issued by the USCIS, electronic notifications were sent to those immigrants seeking asylum, as well as a parole authority program put in place by the Biden administration. Those notified include the approximately 200,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who were allowed to fly into the U.S. and migrants who were allowed to enter the country along the southern border via a federal phone app program. That program has allowed approximately 180,000 migrants into the country. Both of these programs allow immigrants to live and work in the United States for two years.

One issue that the administration did not anticipate is that many of these migrants – who are eligible to apply for work permits – have not done so. This is contributing to several major cities attempting to meet the housing, medical care, and other financial needs of immigrants who have settled in their cities.

In addition to sending more than one million text messages, the USCIS has also distributed flyers at shelters, residential facilities, and other locations that contain a QR code that can be scanned to download a phone app that explains how to download work authorization documents.

Other Migrants May Be Eligible

Migrants who were released with paroles during the 2022 COVID-19 border crisis may also be eligible if their paroles are still valid. While some paroles were only for several months, there were thousands of migrants who received parole for one to two years and still have valid parole, allowing them to apply for a work permit.

Contact an Illinois Immigration Lawyer for Legal Assistance

If you have questions about obtaining a work permit – or any other immigration question or issue – make sure to reach out to an experienced DuPage County immigration attorney for legal help. Call Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices at 630-932-9100 to schedule a free consultation. Our Illinois law firm has been assisting immigration clients for more than 40 years and has extensive experience dealing with the USCIS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).