Possible furloughs for the USCIS employees

Since May 2020, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) had announced a devastating downturn in revenue and possible furloughs for nearly 70% of its employees as of August 30.

This is the federal entity, belonging to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), delegated with the task of receiving, reviewing and responding to immigration applications in the US.

Most of the USCIS revenue comes from fees that applicants must pay when submitting an immigration request. Clearly, the global Coronavirus pandemic affected the immigration sector tremendously, mainly because the Trump administration decided to temporarily close the borders and prohibit the entry of foreigners.

Therefore, the USCIS did not receive enough income for a considerable period of time, putting the salary of its employees at risk and lengthening waiting times for applicants.

The USCIS had asked Congress for $ 1.2 million to protect its employees and to have resources to respond to immigration requests effectively amid the health crisis.

However, after nearly three months, Congress had not reached a decision regarding the USCIS bailout. In fact, in one of our most recent articles, we talk about the government’s hesitancy to disburse the monetary aid for the immigration agency.

Finally, a new bill aims to avoid furloughs for the USCIS employees.

New bill aims to protect the USCIS

On Saturday, August 22, 2020, the US House of Representatives introduced and approved a bill that could prevent the furloughs for employees of the main immigration agency.

In the official statement, participants assure that the USCIS must implement a strategy with “premium processing” fees in order to reestablish its financial balance.

It means that the House of Representatives did not grant the $ 1.2 million requested by the federal entity, but urged that the USCIS increase the prices of “premium processing” and expand this possibility for more immigration applications.

Normally, for applicants to request “premium processing” and receive a response within 15 days, they must pay a total of $1,440. The House of Representatives proposes to increase this fee to $2,500.

In this way, the USCIS may:

• Avoid suspending such a large portion of its employees.
• Expedite delayed immigration processes.
• Receive more income to have economic balance again.
• Help applicants by shortening waiting times.

The USCIS has yet to respond to this bill, but will possibly announce its decision later this week.

Do you need to submit an immigration application? Motion Law is here to help you.

Positive news for the immigration sector

It is well known that the immigration sector has been tremendously affected, both by the arrival of the global Coronavirus pandemic that paused almost all immigration processes, as well as the pressure imposed by the Trump administration to reduce the number of foreigners who enter the country.

However, established processes are gradually returning to normal and it is the right time for you to begin your immigration journey in the US.

Despite the health crisis, the US continues to be the destination for thousands of immigrants who want to build a promising future for their families.

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.