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The Trump administration is set to terminate the automatic extension of certain immigrant work permits. This decision is expected to impact hundreds of thousands of immigrants, including spouses of H-1B visa holders and green card applicants. Focus On National Security And Due Vetting The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Wednesday that it is set to end the automatic 540-day extension of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for all renewal applications filed on or after Oct. 30, 2025. An interim final rule, scheduled for publication in the Federal Register that same day, will cover all categories currently eligible for the extension. This includes H-4 visa holders, spouses of H-1B workers, spouses of other employment-based visa holders, and green card applicants. DHS mentions “proper vetting” of immigrants before new employment and “national security” as grounds for suggesting this change. Trump Reverses Biden-Era Rule The Trump administration's move marks a reversal of a Biden-era policy that aimed to protect immigrants awaiting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) decisions. Under existing rules, EAD cardholders who apply for renewals automatically receive an extension of up to 540 days, allowing them to keep working legally while USCIS processes their applications. Once the new rule takes effect, these automatic extensions will end — leaving immigrants whose work permits expire unable to work legally until USCIS issues a decision. More Crackdowns Amid Labor Shortage Warning This move by the Trump administration is the latest in a series of actions aimed at tightening immigration policies. On Wednesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced measures to restrict the use of H-1B visas in the state’s public universities. These changes are part of a broader effort to overhaul higher education and immigration policies. According to a recent study, the Trump administration’s widely-criticized immigration crackdown could reduce the U.S. workforce by 6.8 million people by 2028 and by 15.7 million by 2035. This could have a significant impact on the nation’s economy, potentially leading to lower economic growth and a decrease in the production of goods and services. American Tech At Risk Experts see President Donald Trump‘s new $100,000 H1-B visa fees as a threat to the U.S. tech supremacy. Investor Kevin O'Leary cautioned that Trump's proposed H-1B visa fee could push top talent overseas, potentially hindering the growth of the next wave of American startups, citing the origins of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Oracle Corp (NYSE:ORCL), and Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google. Earlier in the month, Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) reportedly pledged to cover the $100,000 H1-B visa fee for new hires in response to an executive order by President Trump. This move by Nvidia highlights the importance of immigration for the tech industry. READ NEXT: Labor Department Warns Immigration Crackdown Could Spark Food Shortages, Soaring Prices As Farm Workers Vanish Image via Shutterstock
