U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is reducing how long Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) remain valid, lowering the maximum validity period from five years to just 18 months.
The agency said Thursday that the shorter validity window is intended to allow more frequent background checks on noncitizens working in the United States, which officials say will help identify fraud, address identity security concerns and remove individuals who may pose a threat.
“Reducing the maximum validity period for employment authorization will ensure that those seeking to work in the United States do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies,” Director Joseph Edlow said. “After the attack on National Guard service members in our nation’s capital by an alien who was admitted into this country by the previous administration, it’s even more clear that USCIS must conduct frequent vetting of aliens.”
