New Asylum Rule Would Hit DFW Immigrants and Organizations Hard
The Trump administration's newest round of proposed anti-immigration rules targets asylum seekers and will put a strain on those here in North Texas and the organizations and people who support them, advocates say.
On Thursday, the Trump administration released a proposed set of changes to the existing rules that dictate when asylum seekers may apply for a work permit. Currently, they must wait six months from the date of filing an application to apply.
Under the new rules, those seeking safety in the United States would have to wait a year after applying for asylum to be eligible for a work permit. Those who crossed the border illegally would be barred altogether, although this is not the typical way that immigrants seek asylum.
When they first arrive, asylum seekers must depend on family, friends and charities for support, housing and food because it's illegal for them to work. Extending that time period during which they cannot obtain a work permit would make the situation much harder, said Pilar Ferguson, the asylum program director for the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas.
Read more: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/new-asylum-rule-would-hit-dfw-immigrants-and-organizations-hard-11801723
