H4 EAD News: Will Trump Revoke H4 EAD?

Editor’s Note: For information regarding the impact of COVID-19/Coronavirs on H4 visa holders in the U.S. see the following articles:

• COVID-19 Resources for Visa Holders
• COVID-19 Unemployment for H4 Visa Holders
• H4 Visa Extensions for EAD

On May 26, 2015, immigrants all over the US rejoiced when the USCIS passed the Employment Authorization for Certain H4 Dependent Spouses. Before this rule, the H4 visa program in effect had left thousands of visa holders without any work authorization.

So when the rule passed, people who had recently been ineligible to work in the United States swarmed into the job market to apply for jobs they qualified for. H4 visa dependent spouses were eligible for the EAD (Employment Authorization Document) if they had an approved I-140 (immigration petition for Green Card or Permanent Residency), or had an H1B visa spouse with visa status lasting longer than 6 years under the AC21 Act.

The rule was met with backlash as Americans complained that they were going to lose jobs to immigrants because of the new law. Consequently, a lawsuit was filed against the H4 EAD rule to stop it from going into motion.

Who Filed the H4 EAD Lawsuit?

An organization of IT workers called Save Jobs USA believed they lost their jobs to the influx of H-1B workers who had come into the job market. On April 23, 2015, before the rule was going to be enacted, the group took their fears into action and filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to keep the new law from going into effect.

At court, the organization claimed that the new rule harmed American workers seeking employment because it made the job market more competitive and difficult for Americans. They also claimed that the DHS did not even have the authority to grant EADs to H-4 visa holders in the first place.

The Federal district court dismissed the law in September 2016 because “Save Jobs USA” could not prove that the H4 EAD eligible persons would negatively harm Americans. It has been appealed, however, and the case continues.

If you are going for graduate school in the U.S. on H-4 visa, Stilt can help with financing your education. Click here to learn more.

What is the Trump Administration Planning on doing?

With a protectionist president taking the reigns of national and foreign policy in the US, people are wondering how this administration is going to affect this H4 EAD lawsuit. So far, at the beginning of this year, the president asked for 60 days or abeyance to temporarily deactivate the rule so that they can deliberate what they should do about it. 2 months later, in April, the administration asked for an extra 180 days before providing their opinion. We wait patiently as every 60 days we wait for an update, and hopefully a final judgment at the end of the 6 months.

H4 EAD Lawsuit Latest News

H4 EAD news: June 2019

As of June 5, there are no updates regarding the H4 EAD lawsuit. Check back here regularly for the latest H4 EAD news.

H4 EAD news: May 2019

As of May 2019, there are no new updates to H4 EAD matters relating to the courts, but the H4 EAD rule removal remains part of the Spring 2019 Regulatory Agenda.

The OMB meetings webpage has been updated with the Save Jobs American counter arguments and the review meetings data.

On May 29, Rep Eshoo re-introduced H4 EAD Protection Act bill in the House of Representatives.

H4 EAD news: January 2019

On January 16, SAVE Jobs USA filed a replacement opening brief which reiterated it’s previous argument points (that DHS never had the authority to allow H4 visa holders the right to work and that H4 visa holders are taking away job opportunities from American workers).

On January 18, DHS filed a motion to put stay on the previously set deadlines to deliver a rule on the H4 workers, as the department lacks funding as a result of the government shutdown.

H4 EAD news: December 2018

On December 21, California Congresswomen Eshoo and Lofgren introduced the “H-4 Employment Protection Act of 2018” (H.R.7150), which aims to protect H4 EAD workers from having their work permits revoked, but the likelihood of the Resolution becoming law is very low at this time, even with a Democratic majority in Congress.

H4 EAD news: October 2018

DHS updates rule making agenda  noting the benefits of the H4 EAD rule removal as:

• cost-savings accruing to forgone future filings by certain H-4 dependent spouses
• labor turnover costs that employers of H-4 workers could incur when their employees’ EADs are terminated

H4 EAD news: September 2018

SAVE JOBS USA, citing lengthy delays totaling more than a year, filed a motion asking the court to proceed to an oral argument and briefing as soon as possible on September 11.

DSH responded by requestion a further hold on the case, citing swift progress regarding the removal of the H4 EAD rule.

The Trump administration is expected to release a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the end of the H4 EAD program within the next three months. During this period, DHS will take comments from the public to consider as it decided its final rule.

At this time, there is no official word on whether or not anyone will have their H4 EAD revoked.

H4 EAD news: August 2018

USCIS provided an update to the court, saying that DHS’s stance had not changed and that the rule removal was under clearance review on August 20.

H4 EAD news: May 2018

DHS releases its Spring 2018 agenda with an updated timeline for removing the H4 EAD rule on May 10.

On May 16, Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Rep. Mia Love and 128 other members of Congress signed a letter to Trump administration to reconsider removing the H4 EAD rule.

On May 22, the DHS filed an update reaffirming their stance on the removal of the rule.

H4 EAD news: April 2018

The USCIS Director updated Congress on the progress of removing the H4 EAD rule, outlining changes to both the H1B and H4 visa programs.

H4 EAD news: February 2018

The court ordered the case held in abeyance on February 21 and denied SAVE JOBS USA’s request for an oral argument. DHS has until May 22 to file an update with the court.

On February 28, DHS responded, saying that H4 EAD regulation would be revised and submitted to the Office of Management and Budget by June 2018.

H4 EAD news: December 2017

DHS published it’s Fall 2017 Regulatory Agenda, which contained an agenda item titled “Removing H-4 Dependent Spouses from the Class of Aliens Eligible for Employment Authorization.” The agenda item suggested that the H4 EAD rule would conflict with Executive Order 13788 (Buy American Hire America).

On December 22, DHS filed a motion further hold the suit in abeyance as it works through the regulatory implementation of the “Removal of H4 EAD.” The motion further argues that having an oral argument would no longer be necessary, as the process to remove the rule was already underway.

That same day, SAVE JOBS USA filed a motion arguing that DHS acted without authority by implementing the H4 EAD rule. It further argued that implementing the rule took 2 years and that the removal was projected to take a similar amount of time, which meant that it would be 2 more years of Americans losing job opportunities.

H4 EAD news: November 2017

DHS requested a further extension of the deadline, but the court denied that request, asking for further motions to be filed no later than January 2, 2018.

At this time, the DHS has not given word on whether or not anyone will have their H4 EAD revoked.

H4 EAD news: September 2017

SAVE JOBS USA responded by filing a motion stating the DHS had taken no action and gave no opinion on the H4 EAD rule and requested that the suit be settled by oral argument.

The Trump administration file a motion on September 27 for the case to remain in abeyance, reasoning that the DHS needed the extension to fully consider the H4 EAD rule in light of Executive Order 13788 (Buy American Hire America).

H4 EAD news: June 2017

The appeals court granted a stay on June 23, asking SAVE JOBS USA and the Department of Homeland Security to file further motions for how to proceed by September 27.

H4 EAD news: April 2017

The Trump administration requested an additional 180 abeyance to consider its position before submitting its opinion on the H4 EAD lawsuit.

H4 EAD news: February 2017

The Trump administration filed a motion for a 60-day period of program inactivity as it considered the H4 EAD program and responded to the case with its brief.

What Does This Mean for Current H4 EAD Visa Holders Now and What Will Happen to Them in the Future?

There is no way of knowing exactly how this story will fare, however, for now, H4 EAD visa holders do not have to worry about their status being revoked. They can continue their lives without being affected until a final judgment is given in court. New H4 EADs will be dealt with the same way they were dealt with before because the rule is still in effect.

The Trump administration may either drop the H4 EAD lawsuit or decide to continue fighting it. If the administration decides to challenge the rule, it might be possible that an intermediary, like the AILA, will come in to proceed with the case.

If you are an H4 EAD holder you do not have to keep yourself up at night thinking about the absolute worst outcome of this case. You should always be prepared for what is to come, but the best thing to do for now is to go on with your lives, stay informed on the subject, and be patient! Falling into the gossipy disarray surrounding the lawsuit will only make things worse!

Conclusion

Do you think the H4-EAD lawsuit will see victory with a Trump administration? Or do you think the timing of everything will help the H4 EAD rule stay in effect? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below! We will keep updating articles as much as possible so you can stay on top of any changes in the immigration law and the effects they will have.

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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