USCIS Avoids Workforce Furlough, But Budget Cuts Slow the Agency’s Response Times

By: Malou Mararang

On August 25, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it will avoid a furlough of more than 13,000 of its employees, or 70% of its workforce.  Prior to the announcement, USCIS was scheduled to begin furloughing employees on August 30, 2020. USCIS forecasts that it will be able to maintain operations at its current workforce levels through the end of fiscal year 2020. However, drastic cuts in spending will likely cause backlogs and delays in case processing times and adjudication times for status adjustments or naturalizations. USCIS awaits additional congressional funding to maintain the agency through fiscal year 2021.

Conclusion

Our team will closely monitor USCIS budgetary issues and provide updates when they are available. Contact your Chugh, LLP immigration attorney to understand how delays at USCIS may impact your case.