The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a new rule aimed at improving safety for Americans by enhancing screening processes for asylum seekers. Concurrently, the Trump administration is moving forward with plans that could impose dramatic restrictions on work permits for these individuals, potentially pausing their ability to work for many years—ranging from 14 to 173 years. Such changes could affect around half a million asylum seekers, significantly altering their ability to integrate and contribute economically during their legal proceedings. The administration argues that these restrictions are necessary to reduce incentives for illegal immigration and address the backlog in the asylum process.