U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service Redefines 'Backlog'
to Meet October Deadline
Backlog Reduction Efforts Jeopardize National Security

 
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) last week announced it will meet the October presidential deadline for eliminating the backlog of applications for immigration benefits, including green cards, work permits and U.S. citizenship. Since the deadline was set, the agency has redefined "backlog" at least twice to exclude applications that have been filed within the past six months; applications pending action from another agency, including security checks by the FBI; and applications for green cards for which the annual limits have been reached. This announcement comes in the midst of reports of monetary incentives and pressure on USCIS employees to meet "production goals," resulting in a compromised immigrant-screening process.

"USCIS is not meant to be a factory producing goods for sale. It needs to be focused on meeting national security goals, not production goals," said NumbersUSA Executive Director Roy Beck. "Immigration benefits are a privilege, not a right. The needs of America and her citizens must come first."

A USCIS memo shows that up to $5 million has been allocated for bonuses for employees who met production goals and for parties costing up to $7,500 per office. Earlier this year, the former director of the USCIS Office of Security and Investigations, Michael Maxwell, testified before a House panel about rampant fraud and numerous security failures within the agency, including national security risks resulting from employees being offered incentives, and being pressured, to speed up processing of immigration applications.

According to the latest USCIS press release, only 140,000 applications were backlogged and under USCIS control in July. However, according to the latest USCIS data posted on its website, there are 3,415,491 pending applications for naturalization, asylum and all other immigration benefits (including work permits, adjustment of status and petitions for a relative or worker).

"It is clear that the current Administration and cheap-labor lobby will do just about anything to fool people into thinking a guestworker-amnesty program is even feasible despite our broken immigration system," said Beck. "Redefining the backlog and pressuring employees into cutting corners, and then rewarding them for it, is a prime example of the politics the Administration is playing in order to get the American public to swallow so called 'comprehensive immigration reform' at the expense of American jobs and security."

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