USCIS starts to feel the effect of the US economic crisis

Some of the immigration policies implemented by President Trump to mitigate the impact of the pandemic have generated harsh financial difficulties for the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

USCIS is the entity in charge of receiving, reviewing, and responding to immigration requests (applications for entry and/or residence in the US of any kind).

However, since the arrival of the Coronavirus in North American territories, USCIS face-to-face services have been suspended and Green Card applications are not currently active.

Most of USCIS’s income comes from application fees that applicants must pay when they want to submit a petition.

Thus, USCIS announced that its revenue could decline as much as 60% by September 2020, which is the end of the current fiscal year (FY).

USCIS actions to mitigate the downturn in revenue

USCIS officials are proposing two strategies to avoid an even bigger economic crisis:

1. They requested a total of $ 1.2 billion to the Congress to ease the drop in their revenue.
2. USCIS plans to increase application fees up to 10% in the upcoming months.

Were these repercussions avoidable?

Several critics around the country and immigrant rights advocates blame the current government for the economic problems now being experienced by the USCIS.

They declare that the economic crisis happened due to current immigration policies, which they label as “arbitrary and strict”.

Critics argue that this economic crisis was prevalent even before the global pandemic for multiple reasons:

• Due to the fact that immigration policies are stricter today, sometimes USCIS must review applications multiple times for approval, which delays other responsibilities.
• Since face-to-face services are temporarily suspended, USCIS had to reschedule all pending appointments.
• Since Green Cards are not currently available, USCIS will not have a stable income until the current administration decides to allow residency applications again.

What is the best solution for this situation?

The latest official statement declares that USCIS offices will resume face-to-face services beginning June 4, 2020.

However, this does not mean that the economic crisis will be overcome immediately.

Most likely, USCIS will decide to increase application fees to alleviate the recent recession.

Therefore, the most recommended solution is:

• Submit your application to enter and/or reside in the US as soon as possible, taking advantage of current rates.
• Seek the right guidance from an experienced immigration attorney.
• Get the right information on the processes to complete the necessary forms and submit the application appropriately.
• Make sure your immigration case is solid enough to prevent denial by USCIS.

Use this time wisely before rates go up.

We can still submit your application through the USCIS online plattform with Motion Law Immigration.

We are here to help you!

It is our pleasure to guide you through your immigration process and make sure we help you build a promising future for you and your family.

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.