USCIS reply to NY times

[000 0]

Fit to Print?

The Times got it wrong again. I feel compelled to set the record straight for 17,000 employees who work late nights and weekends to welcome lawful immigrants into our society. I will not stand idly by as the New York Times insults the dedicated and professional services they provide.

If the Times seeks to add legitimacy to its editorial, they should first get the facts straight. USCIS received more than 600,000 applications for citizenship in June and July of 2007 - a 350 percent increase from the same time the year before. While this surge was substantial, it isn’t close to the “perhaps a million empty promises” the Times suggests.

Further, all applications received during that time have been opened, issued receipts, and entered into our processing queue. The idea that there are “envelopes with large checks and money orders, delivered by truckloads, waiting in shrink-wrapped pallets, unopened” at any USCIS facility, is an outright fabrication, hastily conceived by an imaginative writer.

What the writer failed to mention, and what I personally conveyed to the Times, is that more than half of all the citizenship applications received in June and July will be completed by September 30. Further, many of the applicants who filed for citizenship after July 2007 have already been naturalized. The writer also omitted that not withstanding our challenges, in 2008 we will process some 20-25 percent more citizenship applications than in 2007, while maintaining the integrity of the immigration system and the security of the process.

The fact is, last year we anticipated an application surge, and dedicated USCIS employees at our Service Centers worked hard and long hours to process the increased number of applications received before fees were raised in July. As a result of their dedication, nearly 750,000 applications were processed in a record amount of time. Instead of commending this effort, the New York Times degraded it, suggesting “intentional disenfranchisement” of Latino voters. That is both absurd and an insult to our workforce.

This agency does not lose focus by such editorial bias. Our workforce will continue to do everything possible to assist immigrants on the path to legal residency or citizenship, facilitate the smooth transit of others who wish to work here temporarily, and safeguard the security of the United States through the integrity of our immigration system. Modernization efforts to build a fully-electronic immigration platform continue to move forward. More than 34 USCIS facilities will be renovated or replaced nationwide, and more than 3,000 new employees will join our ranks by the end of this year. Our professional training programs are varied and robust.

My posting today demonstrates to the more than 700,000 newly naturalized citizens that this country embraces free and open debate. It is a shame, however that a newspaper like the New York Times – which boasts with each paper that it contains all the news that’s fit to print – only values its version of a story and leaves no room for that debate or for the facts.

Emilio T. Gonzalez

Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

http://www.dhs.gov/journal/leadership/2008...t-to-print.html <--link

[MrsCat 6]

Emilio T. Gonzalez

Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services statement . . . .

Seriously?! What a dirtbag!

Talk about a one-sided view of the immigration nightmares. I understand that they are working on their problems and their staff are working diligently . . . but that really didn't answer any of the questions that most people filing have. Like whyTF is is taking so long? Why is customer service so rude when presumably most people start politely asking for information? Why is your computer system creating delays in reporting information? Why are people cases being completed WAY ahead of the queue?

[Nutty 2]

He may claim statistics are favorable to his view of things...But he has never had to endure the cold hearted bureaucracy of the USCIS. The rudeness of its staff.

I hate him and the whole system.

[milimelo 4,477]

I wonder what Gonzales will say about this: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/nyregion...l?th&emc=th

The NYT is certainly on USCIS' back these days

[Arlington 5]

I wonder what Gonzales will say about this: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/nyregion...l?th&emc=th

The NYT is certainly on USCIS' back these days

I'm hoping that he'd say "Forty years without parole in Sing-Sing."

[Betty and Rey 0]

I wonder what Gonzales will say about this: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/nyregion...l?th&emc=th

The NYT is certainly on USCIS' back these days

I'm hoping that he'd say "Forty years without parole in Sing-Sing."

Hasn't Gonzalez already tendered his resignation,

scheduled for April 2008?

[LotofPatience 65]

I wonder what Gonzales will say about this: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/nyregion...l?th&emc=th

The NYT is certainly on USCIS' back these days

I'm hoping that he'd say "Forty years without parole in Sing-Sing."

Hasn't Gonzalez already tendered his resignation,

scheduled for April 2008?

One of the stupids, I have ever seen is Gonzales! He increased (drastic) the fee from everybody, but didn't reduce the timeframe for all kind of applications ! Instead of paying him high, recruit another 10 or 20 people with the same money and speed up the process

Please excuse me if anybody is related to Gonzales !

[Gigli2008 70]

It is true what Emilio Gonzales Says. I applied for Naturalization in July 25, 2007 and my interview and Oath ceremony was done in February 08, 2008. I thought that was pretty fast considering the surge of applications received in June and July.

I applaud the efforts of the USCIS especially in Texas who handled my application.

Gracey.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

He is only talking about the Naturalization applications as well - no mention of the many other hundreds of thousands of applications bogged down in the overloaded inefficient system. I do find it funny that he refers to "maintaining the integrity of the immigration system and the security of the process" - they certainly did maintain the existing record of integrity - which wasn't anything to brag about to begin with - can't fault him there. They certainly didn't improve it! I believe his resignation has more to do with the overwhelm he created for himself and his department from his failure to plan when they implemented last year's fee increases than the cited reasons. To suggest it is business as usual is one thing . . . to imply that business as usual is 'competent and effective' is something totally different than the reality.

[Tyrobe 1]

Emilio Gonzalez takes an easy way out now. Immigration chief quits amid citizenship surge.

[Don_Joy's Prince 0]

I take anything that is said by the New York Times with a grain of salt. "All the news thats sh!t to print!"

The New York Times I do not believe on any subject. Garbage! Garbage! Garbage!

Even If it may be true I still won't believe it's true if they report it!

[greeneyedgirlfl 0]

He is only talking about the Naturalization applications as well - no mention of the many other hundreds of thousands of applications bogged down in the overloaded inefficient system. I do find it funny that he refers to "maintaining the integrity of the immigration system and the security of the process" - they certainly did maintain the existing record of integrity - which wasn't anything to brag about to begin with - can't fault him there. They certainly didn't improve it! I believe his resignation has more to do with the overwhelm he created for himself and his department from his failure to plan when they implemented last year's fee increases than the cited reasons. To suggest it is business as usual is one thing . . . to imply that business as usual is 'competent and effective' is something totally different than the reality.

Like this administration plans for anything....

[Mohgli 0]

"and leaves no room for that debate or for the facts."

look who's talking, do we have a single response to any ombudsman questions, what a freakin retard, lame duck getting pompous of renovating offices etc, even teh DMV renovates and the process and quality is the same. its cause of nytimes atleast someone has his a** on the line

[HOHOHO 0]

Yes friends, the Immigration system works well! It' kicks ### git R done. The price of the US dollar is at an all time high. We missioned accomplished, and the economy is Soaring!

Gas is now at an all time low price of 3 cents a barrel.

And big brother has raised the razor blade ration from 2 per year to 1 per decade.

WHORRAY

That clown has a PHD? Holy hilarity.

Edited March 23, 2008 by HOHOHO

[TinTin and Samby 11]

Oh Pllleeeeeaseee.......Gonzales needs to go back to his fantasy land and consult with the Harvey!