Comment Submitted by Anonymous

**Comment on Proposed Rule Regarding Discretionary Employment Authorization** I support the Department's effort to strengthen the standards governing discretionary employment authorization. First, I believe DHS and USCIS should pay closer attention to whether individuals who obtained immigration benefits based on claims of persecution later voluntarily return to their countries of claimed persecution for extended periods or establish long-term residence there after obtaining permanent residence or citizenship. Such patterns may be relevant when evaluating the credibility of prior claims and could indicate that some individuals were not, in fact, unable to safely live in their home countries. USCIS should consider improving information sharing and fraud detection regarding these situations. Second, discretionary employment authorization should not become an incentive for filing weak or fraudulent humanitarian claims. There are concerns that some individuals obtain EADs, establish businesses, earn substantial income, and transfer significant amounts of money back to their countries of origin while their underlying claims remain unresolved. DHS should strengthen fraud detection and ensure that employment authorization is granted only to applicants with meritorious claims who genuinely qualify under the law. Third, the U.S. labor market has changed significantly. Rapid advances in artificial intelligence and automation are reducing demand for workers in many industries. Employment authorization policies should reflect current labor market conditions and prioritize opportunities for U.S. workers where appropriate. DHS should consider limiting discretionary EAD eligibility, shortening validity periods, or restricting employment authorization to industries experiencing verified labor shortages instead of allowing unrestricted access to all sectors of the economy. Overall, I encourage DHS to adopt stricter standards for discretionary employment authorization, strengthen fraud prevention and enforcement, and ensure that humanitarian protections remain available for those who genuinely need them while reducing incentives for abuse.