New Immigration Policy Will Protect Exploited Workers from Deportation

By: Jioselin Juarez Contreras

On January 13, 2023, the Biden Administration unveiled a new expedited immigration process for exploited workers to apply for deportation protection along with a work permit. The process, called deferred action, will be available to immigrants currently in the United States without status, who have been either exploited, witnessed labor exploitation, or are otherwise involved with labor related investigations to apply for deferred action.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hopes the policy will encourage more exploited workers to speak up against labor violations and assist the authorities investigating labor related incidents without the fear of deportation.

Application Guidelines

To qualify for deferred action for exploited workers, individuals will need to apply for the benefits through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The application will need to include referral letters from the federal, state, or local agency investigating the labor incident or violations.

If USCIS grants the applicant deferred action benefits, he or she will likely receive a work permit to work legally in the U.S, and two years of deportation relief.

Conclusion

For assistance applying for deferred action, case-specific questions, or other immigration help, please contact the trusted Chugh, LLP immigration team.