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READ OUR OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE U.S. FY2026 REFUGEE ADMISSIONS CAP AND PRIORITIZATION
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH DISPLACEMENT, RESETTLEMENT, DEPORTATION, AND ICE #ANONYMOUSAMONGUS

Understanding Immigration Challenges: U.S. Asylum 101

Asylum: Work Authorization

The vast majority of asylum seekers want to work but face several challenges in this regard:

Limited Authorization

While waiting for their asylum applications to be processed, asylum seekers must first obtain authorization to work legally in the U.S. This process can be lengthy and complex, leaving many asylum seekers unable to work for months or even years.

Waiting Period

After submitting their asylum application, an asylum seeker must typically wait at least 150 days before they can apply for an employment authorization document (EAD). Processing times can vary and it can take many months or more than a year to obtain an EAD after applying for one. During this waiting period, asylum seekers may experience financial strain and uncertainty about their future, making it difficult to plan for employment or career advancement.

Limited Support Services

Asylum seekers often have limited access to support services such as job training, career counseling, and employment placement assistance. Without adequate support, they may struggle to navigate the U.S. job market and find opportunities.

Fear and Stigma

Some asylum seekers may face fear and stigma related to their immigration status, which can affect their confidence and willingness to pursue employment opportunities. Employers may also be hesitant to hire asylum seekers due to misconceptions or concerns about legal risks.

Expense

An EAD is only valid for a defined period of time and must be renewed regularly. Renewing a work authorization requires payment of a $410 filing fee, which is very expensive for most applicants, and backlogs in processing time can cause gaps in employment.

There is growing public support for policies that promote the economic empowerment and integration of asylum seekers. Polls have shown that a majority of Americans believe asylum seekers should be allowed to work while their asylum applications are pending. Many faith-based organizations, labor unions, business groups, and civil society organizations have also voiced support for policies that facilitate greater access to employment for asylum seekers.

Understanding Immigration Challenges: U.S. Asylum 101
What would you do if you had to leave everything behind?

By the end of 2024, more than 123.2 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced from their homes due to war, persecution, or human rights abuses.

An increase of 7.2 million over 2023, that’s more than 19,619 people every day — roughly one person every 4.4 seconds.

They arrive in refugee camps and other countries, like the US, seeking the one thing they’ve lost: safety.

Fleeing political imprisonment, ethnic violence, religious persecution, gang threats, or war crimes, they come with what little they managed to carry:

Legal papers – if they’re lucky.

A single backpack.

Sometimes a child’s hand in theirs.

They also carry the weight of what they left behind: fractured families, homes they’ll never return to, professions they loved, friends and relatives they may never see again.

They carry loss most of us can’t imagine – but also the truth of what they’ve endured.

At TSOS, we believe stories are a form of justice. When someone shares their experience of forced displacement, they reclaim their voice. And when we amplify that voice – through film, photography, writing, and advocacy – the world listens. Hearts soften. Communities open. Policy begins to shift.

That shift matters. Because when neighbors understand instead of fear…

when lawmakers see people, not politics…

when a teacher knows what her student has survived…

Rebuilding life from the ashes becomes possible.

We’re fighting an uphill battle. In today’s political climate, refugee stories are often twisted or ignored. They’re reduced to statistics, portrayed as national threats, or used to score political points.

The truth – the human, nuanced truth – gets lost, and when it does, we lose compassion.

We are here to share their truth anyway.

At TSOS, we don’t answer to headlines or algorithms. We are guided by a simple conviction: every person deserves to be seen, heard, and welcomed.

Our work is powered by the people we meet — refugees and asylum seekers rebuilding after loss, allies offering sanctuary, and communities daring to extend belonging.

Your support helps us share their stories — and ensure they’re heard where they matter most.

“What ultimately persuaded the judge wasn’t a legal argument. It was her story.”

— Kristen Smith Dayley, Executive Director, TSOS

Will you help us keep telling the truth?

No donation is too small — and it only takes a minute of your time.

Why give monthly?

We value every gift, but recurring contributions allow us to plan ahead and invest more deeply in:

  • New refugee storytelling and advocacy projects
  • Resources to train and equip forcibly displaced people to share their own stories
  • Public education that challenges fear with empathy
  • Local efforts that help communities welcome and integrate newcomers

As our thank-you, monthly supporters receive fewer fundraising messages — and more stories of the impact they’re making possible.

You don’t have to be displaced to stand with those who are.

Can you give today — and help carry these stories forward?

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