In a further development concerning immigrants during the broader immigration enforcement initiatives undertaken by US President Donald Trump , the Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) announced on Tuesday (local time) a regulatory measure that eliminates an extended period allowing immigrants to maintain employment following the expiration of their work authorization while their renewal petitions were under review.
The grace period was set up to offer protection to immigrant workers who faced the risk of employment termination resulting from processing delays at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ). However, during the Trump administration, the agency implemented measures that increased the difficulty for immigrants to maintain or extend their work permits. The regulation permanently terminates the automatic 540-day extension period that had permitted qualified immigrants to maintain employment in the nation while their permit renewal applications were under review, according to Bloomberg Law.
This extension, which was established during the tenure of former President Joe Biden , was previously suspended on a temporary basis by the DHS last year.
Applicants are required to await approval of their renewed employment authorization before they may continue working past the expiration of their current documents. The DHS states that this policy modification aims to enhance background verification, security assessments, and eligibility determinations before granting employment authorization extensions. Effective October 30, 2025, the updated policy eliminates automatic extensions for renewal applications submitted on or after that date.
