Elfreth Leads Colleagues in Urging DHS to Reinstate Automatic Extension for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs)

WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03) led 20 of her colleagues in urging Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin to immediately reinstate the Department's automatic extension for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs).

"We write to express our concern about the termination of automatic extensions for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) by the Department of Homeland Security. This termination has caused significant implications not only for immigrant workers and their families, but also for their U.S. employers and the economy," wrote the lawmakers. "The automatic extension was initially implemented due to lengthy U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processing times, resulting in individuals lapsing in their work authorization before their new EADs could be issued. The extension would allow businesses across the U.S. to continue employing current staff in case USCIS could not adjudicate their applications before the six-month deadline. Without this protection, many individuals, including our constituents, risk losing their ability to work through no fault of their own."

Automatic extensions for EADs were implemented in 2016 due to lengthy U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processing times. Originally created to prevent gaps in work authorizations, automatic extensions allow businesses across the U.S. to continue employing current staff in the event that USCIS cannot adjudicate their applications before the six-month deadline.

However, since October 2025, when the Trump Administration published a rule canceling automatic extension and reversing a 10-year precedent, as many as 3.8 million workers have had their jobs put at risk.

The full letter can be accessed HERE. Alongside Elfreth, the letter was signed by 20 of her colleagues, including Representatives Gabe Amo (RI-01), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (IL-04), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), and Ritchie Torres (NY-15).

###