The UU Solidarity Initiative’s Work Permit Comment Campaign

Context

The Issue

On February 23, the Department of Homeland Security announced a proposed rule that would radically undermine the ability of future asylum-seekers to receive work permits in the United States.
Under federal law, people who establish a credible fear of persecution are eligible for asylum, but resolving these legal proceedings can take years. In the meantime, the law provides that applicants can receive permission to work. By trying to deny this life-saving work provision, the current administration is cruelly compounding the hardships of asylum-seekers and their families. This proposed rule would strand people in desperate poverty for years, or force them to work off the books in exploitative conditions, while they wait indefinitely for a judgment on their asylum case.

Why Your Voice Matters

We know that public comments are unlikely to stop this administration’s cruelty. The purpose of this comment campaign is to DELAY and FIGHT, and set conditions for future engagement. Because federal agencies are legally required to read and respond to every unique and substantive comment before finalizing a rule, the more comments that are submitted, the longer we can delay the implementation of this rule. Failure of the government to adequately address comments sets the ground for litigation. That’s why it’s crucial that we flood the Federal Register with informed, personalized comments about how this rule will harm our asylum seekers and our communities.
That’s why it’s crucial that we flood the Federal Register with informed, personalized comments about how this rule will harm our asylum seekers and our communities.
Submit a unique public comment against this rule on or before Friday, April 24, at 11:59 PM ET.

What to Do

Go to the “Employment Authorization Reform for Asylum Applicants” comment page: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/23/2026-03595/employment-authorization-reform-for-asylum-applicants#open-comment
Type your comment in the white comment box.
Select if you are submitting the comment as an individual, organization, or anonymously. If you submit as an individual, your name will be publicly viewable. These comments carry more weight than anonymous comments, so we highly suggest you enter comments as an individual or organization to help bolster comments made by individuals, such as asylum seekers, who choose to submit anonymously for their own safety.
Review your comment, check the disclaimer box, and click “Submit Comment”

Sample Comment Prompts
The government groups identical comments into a single submission, so unique comments have the greatest impact.
Choose one of the prompts below as a guide and write your own complete comment if possible, or if need be, finish the comment in your own words, starting with the prompt language we offer. Please include the rule docket number DHS Docket No. USCIS-2025-0370 in your comment.
Please – please – tailor the comment to your unique voice, circumstances, and lived experience concerns.
Note, if you would like to author a comment as a group:

Open Action Link

Script / Talking Points

Option 1: The Community Impact

"In our community, I have seen how important it is for immigrants to be able to work and support themselves. Making it nearly impossible to get work permits will cause..." (Hint: Think about how this affects family stability, local neighborhoods, and the ability of people to thrive and contribute.)

Option 2: The Faith Perspective

"As a person of faith, I am leaving a comment opposing this rule because..." (Hint: Think about what our core values say about welcoming our neighbors, showing compassion, or honoring the inherent dignity of all..)

Option 3: The Values Appeal

"I believe the Department of Homeland Security should withdraw this rule because forcing asylum seekers to wait a year to work and making it even more difficult to get a work permit goes against the value of..." (Hint: Focus on concepts like self-sufficiency, protecting the vulnerable, human rights, or family unity.)

Option 4: The Direct Service Experience

"Our congregation runs/supports a [food pantry / clothing drive / shelter], and we know firsthand that preventing asylum seekers from working will strain community resources by..." (Hint: What happens to local charities and safety nets when people are legally barred from earning a paycheck to buy their own groceries or pay rent?)

Option 5: The Personal Connection

"I know an asylum seeker that currently has a work permit. Without this, they would be unable to…" (Hint: Share a brief, generalized story about how working has allowed someone you know to secure housing, feed their children, or find stability. Please protect their privacy by not using full names.)

Option 6: The Small Business Perspective

"I own a small business that employs people with work permits. This rule would cause my business to…" (Hint: Focus on the economic impact, such as labor shortages, losing valued and hardworking employees, or the strain on local businesses.)

Additional Links

announced a proposed rule
Linked background resource describing the proposed rule.
See the sample for Congregations (TAB)
Sample group comment for congregations.
See the sample for Organizations (TAB)
Sample group comment for organizations.