Work authorization for legal newcomers is at risk
Use your voice and comment on DHS’s proposed rule limiting work permits for people with humanitarian parole and other populations.
Get started
Share your views before Aug. 4
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed changes that would limit employment authorization (EADs) for certain individuals, including people who are in the United States through humanitarian parole programs.
If finalized, the proposal would shorten employment authorization periods and add new eligibility requirements for some newcomers. These changes could affect the ability of individuals and families to support themselves through work while maintaining lawful status.
The proposal could also affect employers and local communities that rely on these workers. Federal agencies are required to accept and review public comments before finalizing a rule. The public comment period for this proposal remains open through August 4, 2026.
Individuals, employers, community members, and others who may be affected by the proposal can submit comments for DHS to consider as part of the rulemaking process.
Learn more about the proposed rule and who it impacts.
Before the rule is finalized, you can share your perspective by submitting a comment through Aug. 4.
Public comments are an important part of the federal rulemaking process. Before a rule can be finalized, agencies are required to review and consider public feedback.
Comments can help policymakers better understand how proposed changes may affect individuals, families, employers, sponsors, and communities. Thoughtful, specific feedback is often the most effective way to ensure real-world experiences are considered during the review process.
The deadline to submit a comment is August 4, 2026 and it only takes a few minutes.
How to submit a public comment
Submitting a comment takes only a few minutes.
You may use our sample comment as a starting point, but adding your own perspective or experience can make your submission more relevant and specific.
Be sure to include the rule reference (this is required):
- DHS Docket No. USCIS-2026-0067
Once your comment is complete, submit it through the DHS public comment portal.
Each unique comment must be individually reviewed, so adding your own voice matters.
Tips for effective comments
Include the rule reference: DHS Docket No. USCIS-2026-0067. This is required.
- Focused on how the proposal may affect individuals, families, employers, sponsors, or communities.
- Specific examples and personal experiences can help provide useful context.
- Avoid including sensitive personal information, as comments become part of the public record.
- Comments may be submitted by individuals, organizations, employers, community groups, or anonymously.
Learn more
What the proposed rule would do
On June 5, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule that would restrict employment authorization (EADs) for certain individuals, including people with humanitarian parole. If finalized, it will change the rules for three populations allowed to live in the United States:
- Individuals with humanitarian parole: Those paroled with temporary status in the U.S. for urgent humanitarian reasons or public benefit, including Ukrainians and Afghans.
- Deferred action recipients: Individuals granted temporary relief from deportation; in this case, this rule explicitly exempts DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients.
- Individuals under orders of supervision (OSUP): People with final orders of removal who cannot be deported because their home countries refuse to issue travel documents.
This proposed rule would heavily restrict work access for all three groups—and completely eliminate work permits for most people under orders of supervision—creating a significant impact.
3 major changes introduced
For people with humanitarian parole and deferred action recipients, there are three new obstacles:
- Proving financial need: If implemented, newcomers would be required to submit extensive paperwork to prove severe financial hardship simply to get or maintain work authorization.
- Requiring E-Verify: To renew a work permit, applicants will be forced to prove they work for an employer that uses E-Verify. Thousands of local shops, small businesses, and community nonprofits that employ newcomers might not use the E-Verify system, meaning newcomers could lose jobs and businesses could lose qualified employees. Currently, not every state has opted in to E-Verify.
- Constant renewal delays: Work permits would be valid for a maximum of one year. With existing lengthy government backlogs, the frequency of annual renewals will likely cause employment gaps while newcomers simply wait for approved paperwork.
If finalized, this rule would prevent tens of thousands of people from legally supporting themselves and their families while their work authorization paperwork awaits intense scrutiny and approval.
Why this matters
Work permits allow newcomers to support themselves and their families while establishing safety and stability in the U.S.
Without the ability to work legally:
- Families could struggle to afford basic needs like rent, food, and transportation.
- Employers and small businesses could lose essential workers.
- Communities across the country could lose people whose skills and expertise contribute to local economies and neighborhoods.
In practice, this rule could force many people seeking safety from violence and persecution into financial instability while they await approval of employment.
Example comment (make sure to personalize)
Pro tip: Government agencies ignore identical form letters. Please use the draft below as a starting point, but adjust it with your own words to add your personal experience!
Suggested comment language
I am writing to oppose the proposed rule, “Clarification of Discretionary Employment Authorization for Certain Aliens,” ( DHS Docket No. USCIS-2026-0067), because of the significant harm it would cause to my community, my neighbors, and myself.
While this rule places heavy burdens across multiple vulnerable populations, I am deeply concerned by how it affects individuals with humanitarian parole—including Ukrainians and Afghans who fled conflict to find safety here. Forcing these families to navigate complex "financial need" paperwork just to get a basic job is an unnecessary hurdle.
Furthermore, restricting renewals to employers who use E-Verify will devastate newcomers and the communities they live in. Many small businesses, local farms, and neighborhood shops facing labor shortages step up to offer newcomers their first jobs. This rule would ban individuals with humanitarian parole from working for those local employers, cutting them off from the community and hurting our local economy. Additionally, forcing people to renew their permits every single year guarantees that families will face job losses due to bureaucratic delays.
[Add your own story here. Example: "Our community welcomed a Ukrainian family last year. The mother found a job at a local employer within months, allowing them to support themselves. Under this rule, she might not be able to renew her permit because the employer is a small business that doesn't use E-Verify."]
I urge DHS to withdraw this proposal and allow individuals with humanitarian parole to continue supporting their family and community. Thank you.
Deepen your impact
Whether you’ve walked alongside a Ukrainian newcomer as a sponsor, are new to our community, or simply looking for different opportunities to support our mission of welcome, we invite you to join our Ukraine affinity group. It’s the perfect space to:
- Connect with other Americans who are supporting Ukrainian newcomers.
- Exchange ideas, ask questions, and identify collaborative opportunities.
- Hear from experts and partners who provide insights, policy updates, and guidance on emerging needs and opportunities.
