
'Quite disruptive': Months-long processing delays leave people out of work amid nationwide labor shortage
CNN
Dayana Vera de Aponte had locked in her holiday plans after nearly two years of uncertainty fueled by the coronavirus pandemic, but then the unexpected happen: she lost her job because of an unprecedented US government backlog.
Vera de Aponte, a registered behavior technician for special needs children in Florida, had to walk away from her job this month when her work permit that allows her to legally work in the United States lapsed. Her family has since adjusted their holiday plans, including no longer flying in her husband's mother, over financial concerns.
"I had to talk to my daughter about the situation. ... It's not in my hands. It's frustrating and how do I explain that to her? I can't buy her Christmas gifts because I'm afraid to spend money," Vera de Aponte, who's seeking political asylum in the US, told CNN in Spanish.