Foreign workers provide substantial value to the U.S. economy. One reason they’re able to do this is because of work visas. These documents allow immigrant workers to utilize their labor and talents here on American soil. This can enable them to improve their lives and those of their families as well.
Unfortunately, America’s immigration system has its fair share of flaws. Unfortunately, these flaws may hinder immigrant workers and their families’ ability to live the American dream. One woman from India experienced this firsthand.
Alleged backlog may cost immigrants valuable time
According to a recent report, the woman filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for substantial delays when issuing her work permit. She claims authorities are sitting on a backlog of roughly 75,000 unprinted employment authorization documents.
The woman currently resides in the U.S. on an H-4 dependent visa; her husband has an H-1B work visa. When she filed suit in an Ohio federal court, she said the application to extend her H-4 status got approved in April. However, she still doesn’t have a work authorization card.
Due to these circumstances, she couldn’t work for her employer after her initial authorization expired in June. Her employer said if she doesn’t provide the authorization by August, she will lose her job.
Woman claims permit faced delays much longer than expected
In response to this, the USCIS says they reduced its capacity to print secure documents, including work permits and permanent resident cards. The agency was using a third-party company to print these documents, but their contract with that company expired.
Typically, work permits get produced and sent to applicants within 48 hours of approval. But the woman says it’s been more than 105 days since she received hers.
No one should endure these issues
While this case is still under investigation, countless immigrants are facing similar work permit issues. When this occurs, it is vital to understand the situation and what options are available when addressing these dilemmas.