More migrants in Chicago granted work permits despite complex legal process
CHICAGO (CBS) – The number of migrants in Chicago who have been approved for temporary protective status and a work permit is growing.
The City of Chicago began a partnership on Nov. 9 with the federal government, state government, and The Resurrection Project, a nonprofit organization, to help migrants apply for work permits so they can legally get a job.
Since then, CBS 2 has reported that only a small percentage of migrants were eligible to apply, and an even smaller number got their permits approved.
The process to get approved is complicated. It starts with a long application that is written entirely in English.
"The turnaround time is anywhere from as a little as one week to max four weeks, which is the fastest USCIS has ever worked," said Eréndira Rendón, vice president of immigrant justice at The Resurrection Project, referring to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
That's the good news, according to Rendón, who explained the lengthy application migrants have to fill out to be able to legally work in the U.S. First, they have to be eligible. Out of the 14,200 who are in the city's shelters, only 3,600 qualify, according to The Resurrection Project.
They can qualify in three ways.
The first way is through temporary protective status, for which they'd have to prove they're from a qualifying country like Venezuela and that they arrived before Aug. 1. Thousands of migrants in Chicago arrived after that deadline.
It's still difficult because some of the migrants' original documents were taken at the U.S.-Mexico border, Rendón said.
The second way to qualify would be through parole, which the person has to apply for and be approved before they enter the country.
The third way is to apply for asylum, which Rendón said is "very specific. It's individual. You have to apply for asylum, and then 150 days later, you can apply for work authorization."
Of the 2,722 migrants who submitted applications through the city's partnership, about 1,800 have been approved, and 1,011 have their documents in hand, per data from the nonprofit. That represents a significant increase from Dec. 28, when CBS 2 reported that only 279 received social security cards and 284 received work permits.
Still, only about 13% of migrants in the city's shelters are eligible and have been approved.
"The Biden administration could decide that it will grant parole to the undocumented," Rendón said. "It can decide that it could grant parole to more new immigrants, and you know the city and the state have to work under the parameters that are set up by the Biden administration."
The Resurrection Project hopes to submit all eligible applicants living in the city's shelters by next week before the organization begins to help others who have moved out of the shelter system. The nonprofit is also looking for volunteers to help them keep up with the demand. To learn more, visit ResurrectionProject.org.