The path to the American Dream just got steeper for thousands of Kenyan immigrants as Washington abruptly tightened the leash on work authorization rules, ending a period of relative stability for foreign workers.

In a move citing national security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has slashed the validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) from five years to just 18 months. For the Kenyan diaspora, this policy shift signals the return of frequent paperwork, heightened uncertainty, and a potential threat to the steady flow of remittances that sustain families across East Africa.

Security Over Stability

The decision marks a sharp pivot from recent efforts to streamline immigration backlogs. USCIS officials announced Thursday that the reduced timeline is designed to force more frequent background checks on noncitizens. The logic is blunt: shorter permits mean immigrants must present themselves for vetting more often.

This policy overhaul was triggered by a specific security failure. Officials pointed to a recent incident involving an Afghan national—who had been granted asylum—implicated in the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C. The event intensified political pressure to close perceived gaps in the vetting process.

“After the attack on National Guard service members in our nation’s capital… it’s even more clear that USCIS must conduct frequent vetting of aliens,” a senior official emphasized regarding the shift.

The Diaspora Impact

For Kenyans navigating the complex US immigration system, this change is more than just administrative; it is a livelihood issue. The reduction affects categories of immigrants that heavily populate the diaspora community, including:

• Asylum Seekers: Those awaiting court dates or decisions.
• Refugees: Individuals granted protection status.
• Adjustment of Status Applicants: Those in the process of moving from a temporary visa to a Green Card.

Previously, a five-year permit offered a significant window of stability, allowing immigrants to secure long-term employment, sign leases, and plan their financial futures without the looming threat of an expiring document. Now, that window has closed to a year and a half.

Looming Backlogs

The immediate concern for immigration advocates is the system's capacity to handle the surge in volume. By shortening the validity period, USCIS has effectively tripled the number of renewal applications it must process over a five-year period.

Immigration experts warn that this could lead to severe processing bottlenecks. If the agency cannot keep pace with the increased workload, workers could find themselves in a bureaucratic limbo—holding an expired permit while waiting for a renewal that is stuck in a queue. For a Kenyan supporting siblings in Nairobi or parents in Kisumu, a lapse in work authorization means an immediate halt to income.

While the agency argues the move helps identify fraud and security threats, the practical reality for the immigrant workforce is a future defined by perpetual renewal cycles. As the diaspora braces for these changes, the premium on maintaining valid status has never been higher.