Trump Admin Makes Major Change to Immigrant Work Permits—What to Know

President Donald Trump will shorten the validity of work permits issued to immigrants in the U.S. under certain conditions, marking another significant crackdown on immigration.

The move follows the attack on two West Virginia National Guard members, one of whom died from her injuries while the other remains in critical condition. An Afghan national granted asylum by the Trump administration earlier this year allegedly carried out the attack.

The new policy would see work permits granted to immigrants who have applied for asylum or other humanitarian programs to have a validity of only 18 months as opposed to five years, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The administration believes a tighter frame of validity will allow for more opportunities to re-vet immigrant, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joe Edlow.

“It’s clear that USCIS must enforce more frequent vetting of aliens,” Edlow said in a statement. “All aliens must remember that working in the United States is a privilege, not a right.”

This is a breaking news story. Updates will follow.