Immigrant Rights Groups Win Some Relief From New Asylum Rules

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services measures that lengthened the time asylum seekers must wait before applying for work authorization have been blocked by a federal judge in an order she limited to the parties in the case before her.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis also said the appointment of Chad Wolf as acting secretary of Homeland Security was procedurally improper. USCIS is a DHS sub-agency.

The rules, which went into effect on Aug. 21 and Aug. 25, removed a requirement that USCIS adjudicate asylum seekers’ work permit applications within 30 days and, among other changes, extended the period of time ...