A bipartisan pair of senators have raised concerns about lengthy work permit delays at a federal immigration agency, which they say have kept Ukrainian refugees and other constituents out of work for months and aggravated workforce shortages.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, wrote U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services about reports that thousands of Ukrainians who arrived in the U.S. in the spring following Russia’s invasion are still waiting to receive their work authorization documents. Many of those Ukrainians are living in America under temporary humanitarian protections.
In a recent letter obtained by CQ Roll Call, the senators asked USCIS Director Ur Jaddou to describe the steps the agency is taking to address these delays and shorten processing times for work permit seekers.
