Pingree Sponsors Bill to Speed Up Work Authorization for Asylum Seekers

Statement

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) reintroduced her Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act, legislation that reduces the current 365-day waiting period for work authorization eligibility to 30 days, allowing an asylum seeker to apply for authorization as soon as the asylum claim is filed. The bill makes no changes to law or regulation relating to the asylum process. This could have an impact on new asylum seekers in Maine--allowing them to gain work, be self-sufficient through the process of establishing roots in their new community and contribute to our economy.

"Easing the transition for asylum seekers in the U.S. has been a long and complicated problem in our country, but the ongoing global pandemic has shone an even harsher light on the process and an urgent need to fix it," said Congresswoman Pingree. "In the past few months, more than 700 migrants have sought refuge in Maine--uprooting their lives in hopes of safety and opportunity. We have welcomed them with open arms. At the same time, businesses have tried to recruit new arrivals in Maine, but because of outdated and misguided policies, these jobs are left unfilled. Why should skilled workers be denied the means to support themselves and be integrated into their new community because of an arbitrary waiting period? My Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act corrects this counterintuitive process with a commonsense solution, giving asylum seekers an opportunity to live a safe, fulfilling life while giving our economy the boost it so desperately needs."

"Reducing the waiting period for asylum seekers to obtain authorization to work is essential and critical to our ongoing ability to provide support services to the hundreds of families who have and continue to choose Maine as their new home," said Portland Mayor Kate Snyder. "The current wait time of a full year prolongs their ability to be self-sufficient and provide stability to their families, and leaves qualified people out of the workforce at a time when employers are desperate to find workers. Asylum seekers are here lawfully. We shouldn't hamstring them by not allowing them to work; and creating significant financial and resource challenges at the local level. I strongly urge Congress to pass Congresswoman Pingree's Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act."

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