USCIS Prepares to Decrease Staff by 70% (13 Thousand Workers)

[T+E 2]

USCIS is preparing to furlough 70% of its 20,000 person workforce unless Congress provides additional funding, according to a spokesperson.  Congress was notified of USCIS's projected budget shortfall last month. While conversations with the Hill are ongoing, according to the agency's statement, preparation is underway for furloughs.

 

Approximately 13,400 employees will be notified whether they'll be furloughed beginning August 3, an agency spokesperson said.  USCIS is primarily fee-funded and typically continues most operations during lapses in funding, such as last year's government shutdown. But during the pandemic, the agency suspended its in-person services, including all interviews and naturalization ceremonies.

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/24/politics/uscis-immigration-citizenship-furlough/index.html

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration/u-s-agency-prepares-for-massive-staff-cuts-in-blow-to-legal-immigration-system-idUSKBN23V2XI

Edited June 25, 2020 by Captain Ewok

[igoyougoduke 1,604]

Ouch. Processing time increased to 100 years Just kidding 

[nastra30 1,980]

Expect fee increases and surcharges in the near future.

[igoyougoduke 1,604]

1 hour ago, nastra30 said:

Expect fee increases and surcharges in the near future.

you mean COVID surcharge like how stub hub charges 1000$ on a 500$ ticket 

[millefleur 5,035]

1 hour ago, nastra30 said:

Expect fee increases and surcharges in the near future.

They were already planning to increase it this year. Curious if they'll raise the fees even more than planned.

[JeanneAdil 6,191]

yes,  USCIS asked for fee increases and why?? i found USCIS budget stats

 

According to https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/About Us/Budget%2C Planning and Performance/USCIS_FY_2021_Budget_Overview.pdf

 

The FY 2021 President’s Budget includes $118.7M in discretionary budget authority for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This funding level represents a reduction of $13.7M below the FY 2020 Enacted Budget.

 

so,  of course they need to furlough people or ask for a bail out / they lost $13.7 in  their budget for this year/ thanks to the administration

 

i was surprised to see this budget (all figures are in the thousands and they even pay SS to do our cards????? why?    

 

Also insteresting on this budget was the amount of money used to do security checks for people who use multiple names (fraud) for a visa application

Edited June 25, 2020 by JeanneAdil

[Allaboutwaiting 2,500]

20 minutes ago, millefleur said:

They were already planning to increase it this year. Curious if they'll raise the fees even more than planned.

The final rule was submitted for review on May 29th, so they, very likely, changed the initially proposed fees -hopefully to be lower-. 😆 😅

 

Edited June 25, 2020 by Allaboutwaiting

[JeanneAdil 6,191]

2 minutes ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

The final rule was submitted for review on May 29th, so they, very likely, changed the initially proposed fees -hopefully to be lower-. 😆 😅

 

The proposed AOS will decrease but the other forms will increase and no longer be part of the bundle

 

Currently, adjustment applicants pay a filing fee of $1,225.  This fee covers the adjustment application itself, as well as applications for initial employment authorization documents (EADs) and advance parole (AP).  It also covers future EAD and AP renewals while the adjustment case is pending.  

The proposal seeks to eliminate this “bundled” fee, and instead require separate fees for new and renewed EADs and APs.  The cost to file an adjustment application with ancillary benefits will increase to $2,195, and applicants will be required to pay fees of $490 and $585, respectively, for each EAD and AP renewal.

[nastra30 1,980]

27 minutes ago, James120383 said:

you mean COVID surcharge like how stub hub charges 1000$ on a 500$ ticket 

Apparently, they already intended to apply a surcharge of 10% to application fees. No idea what the status is regarding this. All up to congress.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-immigration-agency-could-furlough-10000-employees-without-emergency-coronavirus-funds/

 

[Giovanna024 442]

Is that the reason why some N400 Interwievs got canceled??

[millefleur 5,035]

1 minute ago, Giovanna024 said:

Is that the reason why some N400 Interwievs got canceled??

It's likely possible. Fewer staff = fewer interviews.

[Allaboutwaiting 2,500]

Just now, JeanneAdil said:

The proposed AOS will decrease but the other forms will increase and no longer be part of the bundle

Those new fees from the initial proposed rule could have changed; there is a final rule being reviewed now.

We won't know until it is published. 

[Giovanna024 442]

Just now, millefleur said:

It's likely possible. Fewer staff = fewer interviews.

Great! I quess nothing this year will happend in good way. 

[millefleur 5,035]

1 minute ago, Giovanna024 said:

Great! I quess nothing this year will happend in good way. 

This year, I'm not optimistic...maybe things will change for the better in 2021.

[JeanneAdil 6,191]

1 hour ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

Those new fees from the initial proposed rule could have changed; there is a final rule being reviewed now.

We won't know until it is published. 

yeah,  but if USCIS is asking for $1.2 billion in bail out and the budget went down $13.7 million ,  do you think the fees will be less than asked for (or more)?

I see a big increase (my opinion, of course)