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Sinema, Collins Push Bipartisan Effort To Employ Asylum Seekers Sooner

Kyrsten Sinema
Kaely Monahan/KJZZ
Kyrsten Sinema in KJZZ's studio in 2018.

A bipartisan effort to employ asylum seekers sooner is afoot in the U.S. Senate.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema D-Ariz., and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, are combining efforts to shorten the waiting period for asylum seekers to seek employment.

Currently, those looking for work must wait six months after applying for asylum.

The new legislation would allow those refugees the ability to do so after 30 days.

Collins and Sinema told the Associated Press their proposal would reduce the financial burden on the communities hosting asylum seekers and help them improve their own economic situation faster.

Tom Maxedon was the host of KJZZ’s Weekend Edition from 2017 to 2024.