The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a pause on accepting asylum-based EAD applications due to severe processing delays. This change aims to address significant fraud concerns within the immigration system.
DHS proposed increasing the minimum wait time for these applications from 180 days to 365 days. Currently, the average processing time for an affirmative asylum case stands at 1,278 days.
As of the beginning of FY 2026, USCIS reported a staggering backlog of 1.45 million cases in its affirmative asylum portfolio. Furthermore, over 2.4 million cases are pending in immigration courts.
USCIS had more than 1 million pending initial EAD applications at that time. Alarmingly, about 556,798 of these applications had been pending for over 180 days.
DHS stated that the long adjudication times for affirmative asylum applications create incentives for individuals to file solely for employment authorization. This raises concerns about the integrity of the process.
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla remarked on the situation, noting that delays have shifted from weeks to many months, causing significant frustration among applicants.
As USCIS pauses these applications, officials have not confirmed how this will impact those already in the process or seeking employment authorization through other means.
While DHS is considering proposals to reduce backlogs and combat fraud, no clear timeline has been shared regarding when normal processing might resume or how these changes will be implemented.
