Skip to main content
S 3048 116th Congress Senate Immigration Foreign labor Immigration status and procedures Refugees, asylum, displaced persons

Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2019

Introduced: December 12, 2019 Introduced by: Collins, Susan M. Republican · Maine See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 12, 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S7030)
Dec 12, 2019
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2019

This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide employment authorization for eligible asylum applicants. Currently, such individuals are not entitled to employment authorization but may be granted such by the Department of Justice.

DHS shall grant employment authorization to an asylum seeker (1) who is not in detention, (2) whose application for asylum has not been deemed frivolous, and (3) whose identity has been checked against certain databases. Such employment authorization shall last for one year and be renewable for one-year terms during the period necessary to adjudicate the applicant's asylum claim.

The bill also shortens the waiting period for receiving employment authorization to 30 days from the filing of the asylum application.

What's happening now December 12, 2019

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S7030)

 Related & companion bills 3
  • HR 2813 Related bill Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2019
  • HR 5210 Related bill Refugee Protection Act of 2019
  • S 2936 Related bill Refugee Protection Act of 2019
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 3048: Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2019. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3048/
MLA
"S. 3048: Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2019." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3048/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 3048, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3048/.
Markdown link
[S. 3048: Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2019](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-3048/)
Report a problem