President Donald Trump’s administration is discontinuing a policy from the Joe Biden presidency that automatically extended work authorization documents for migrant workers.
The interim final rule by the Department of Homeland Security means renewal of employment authorization documents on or after Oct. 30, 2025, won’t be automatically extended. The change aims to enhance the “vetting and screening” of migrants seeking to work in the U.S.
The @DHSgov published an interim final rule announcing the end of automatic extensions of employment authorization documents (EADs) for aliens who timely apply to renew their EAD in certain employment authorization categories.
This change prioritizes the proper vetting and… pic.twitter.com/PYjMlYK1wF
— USCIS (@USCIS) October 29, 2025
“Reviewing an alien’s background more often will enable U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to deter fraud and detect aliens with potentially harmful intent so they can be processed for removal from the United States,” USCIS said in a statement on the policy change.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow called the change “a commonsense measure.”
“USCIS is placing a renewed emphasis on robust alien screening and vetting, eliminating policies the former administration implemented that prioritized aliens’ convenience ahead of Americans’ safety and security,” he said. “It’s a commonsense measure to ensure appropriate vetting and screening has been completed before an alien’s employment authorization or documentation is extended.”
Edlow added: “All aliens must remember that working in the United States is a privilege, not a right.”
USCIS recommends migrant workers file for a renewal up to 180 days prior to expiration.
“The longer an alien waits to file an EAD renewal application, the more likely it is that they may experience a temporary lapse in their employment authorization or documentation,” USCIS said.
