A recent Axios report highlights growing concerns among employers and immigrant professionals as heightened federal immigration enforcement puts work authorizations at risk—even for those legally residing in the U.S. under humanitarian protections.
Jina Krause-Vilmar, CEO of Upwardly Global, a nonprofit aiding immigrant professionals, emphasized the precarious situation facing workers with temporary legal status. “Even if they’re legal today, they don’t know if they’re going to be legal tomorrow,” she told Axios. The article, “Immigration crackdown fears hit white-collar offices,” examines how programs like Temporary Protected Status (TPS), asylum, and parole—critical for nationals from countries such as Venezuela, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Haiti—are now under scrutiny, leaving both employees and employers in limbo.
Employers Scramble Amid Uncertainty
The report identifies a key friction point: white-collar businesses relying on foreign professionals with humanitarian-based work permits. With the Biden administration tightening certain immigration policies, companies fear sudden workforce disruptions.
Daniel Pierce, an attorney at Fragomen, a global immigration law firm and longtime Upwardly Global partner, noted that employers are urgently reviewing employees’ authorization statuses. “Employers are scrambling to figure out who they can employ because one of their obligations is to verify if someone’s work eligibility is expiring,” he said.
Broader Implications for the Workforce
The instability threatens not only immigrant professionals but also industries facing talent shortages. Upwardly Global, which helps skilled newcomers rebuild careers in the U.S., warns that abrupt policy shifts could destabilize both workers and the economy.
As debates over immigration reform continue, businesses and employees brace for further uncertainty—with legal statuses that once seemed secure now in question.
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