Yusuf Ali Sendil, a medical doctor who fled political persecution in Turkey, will lose his chance to be a resident at Rutgers University’s hospital in less than a month unless a U.S. immigration agency approves his work permit in time.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is required by regulation to process work permits for asylum-seekers such as Sendil within 30 days of receipt. But the specialist in treating psychosis and schizophrenia has been waiting since he filed his work permit request in May, with no substantive updates.
Sendil is one of tens of thousands of asylum-seekers waiting months more than expected for the backlogged immigration agency to approve their initial work permit requests, according to agency data shared with CQ Roll Call by the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project.
