Comment Submitted by Anonymous

I respectfully oppose the proposed restrictions on discretionary employment authorization for individuals granted humanitarian parole. My family came to the United States from Ukraine legally through the Uniting for Ukraine program. We are raising two children, paying rent, utilities, insurance, and other living expenses, and trying to remain financially independent. My husband is currently employed, and continued employment authorization is essential for our family’s stability. Our experience already shows how harmful delays in employment authorization can be. We applied for re-parole and employment authorization in late 2024. Our re-parole was approved, but my husband and I still have not received the related Employment Authorization Documents more than a year later. Our current work authorization under TPS expires in October 2026, creating serious uncertainty for our family even though we have followed the legal process and submitted the required applications. Requiring parolees to provide additional proof of economic necessity and then wait for a separate discretionary determination would create more delays, uncertainty, and administrative burden. A person’s need to work is self-evident when that person must support a family, pay for housing, food, transportation, health-related expenses, and childcare. Employment authorization allows families to support themselves rather than depend on public assistance. I am also concerned that requiring employment with or job-seeking through an E-Verify employer could unnecessarily limit lawful workers’ employment opportunities. Not every legitimate small business participates in E-Verify, and workers should not lose employment authorization because of an employer’s administrative choices. Identity and security checks are important, but biometrics and other requirements should be administered efficiently and should not cause families to lose the ability to work while their applications remain pending. USCIS should focus on timely processing and fraud prevention without imposing new barriers on people who have already been lawfully paroled into the United States. I respectfully ask DHS to withdraw or substantially revise this proposed rule and preserve a clear, timely, and predictable path to employment authorization for humanitarian parolees and their families.