Update on USCIS Budget: Furlough of Staff Averted But Delays Still Projected

In May, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) notified Congress that the agency predicted a budget shortfall for the remainder of 2020, reportedly due to a lower volume of filings received during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency requested a $1.2 billion bailout from Congress and noted that, if it did not receive the money, it would furlough 13,000-plus people or nearly 70 percent of its workforce. Then, a congressional inquiry revealed a USCIS surplus for the fiscal year. As a result, USCIS has canceled the scheduled furlough, but advised that—despite the fact that the furlough will not happen now—the agency will still institute “aggressive spending reduction measures,” which will result in increased processing times. USCIS further stated that it may not be able to avoid future furloughs without congressional intervention.

What does this mean to you?  USCIS has warned of Increased processing time for all case types, Delays in receiving receipt notices, appointment notices, and other notice types from USCIS Lockboxes and Service Centers Increased wait time for pending case inquiries with the USCIS Contact Center Increased adjudication time for adjustment of status and naturalization cases.