N-400 April 2020 Filers

[AH2020 30]

I am at 18 months as well and almost 4 months past regular processing time. I opened multiple service requests without answer. Yesterday my local congressman sent me the below answer he received from USCIS:

 

"Thank you for your inquiries about the case status of your constituent Citizenship Application. Currently the application is delayed due to a delay at the National Records Center (NRC). The file we need in order to proceed with this Citizenship Application is archived at the NRC and the USCIS National Benefits Center ordered the file April 2020. Due to the COVID pandemic the NRC has experience staff shortages that limit requests to law enforcement related requests only. We have made a local inquiry about obtaining the archived file and will update your office when a response is received. We apologize for the delay."

 

I think all the April applicants are stuck there, it is really unbelievable. I am tempted to just file a new N400 but wonder if that would only cause problems. I opened a case with the ombudsman on Oct 4 and waiting to see what they come back with. 

[Cloggie 17]

Friends,

Is it just April 2020 filers, or are folks who filed in March or May also affected? Also, does it make any sense to contact the Ombudsman, or are we here too given the runaround? 

[Scandi 4,103]

3 hours ago, Cloggie said:

Friends,

Is it just April 2020 filers, or are folks who filed in March or May also affected? Also, does it make any sense to contact the Ombudsman, or are we here too given the runaround? 

Looking at the last couple of pages of the May 2020 filers thread it looks as if a few May filers have this issue too, where their cases have to be "retrieved" from some storage facility or records center. No idea why that is. I filed May 1st and didn't have this issue that I'm aware of. My case was delayed though - there were people who filed in July, August the same year and got interviews before me. I had to send messages via my online account just to get a simple bio appointment.

[ptMay2020 0]

On 10/15/2021 at 5:38 PM, AH2020 said:

I am at 18 months as well and almost 4 months past regular processing time. I opened multiple service requests without answer. Yesterday my local congressman sent me the below answer he received from USCIS:

 

"Thank you for your inquiries about the case status of your constituent Citizenship Application. Currently the application is delayed due to a delay at the National Records Center (NRC). The file we need in order to proceed with this Citizenship Application is archived at the NRC and the USCIS National Benefits Center ordered the file April 2020. Due to the COVID pandemic the NRC has experience staff shortages that limit requests to law enforcement related requests only. We have made a local inquiry about obtaining the archived file and will update your office when a response is received. We apologize for the delay."

 

I think all the April applicants are stuck there, it is really unbelievable. I am tempted to just file a new N400 but wonder if that would only cause problems. I opened a case with the ombudsman on Oct 4 and waiting to see what they come back with. 

How did you contact the congressman. Is it by the contact me option in the house.gov site? and sending a mail?. Please sugget

[roddie2k 68]

On 10/15/2021 at 5:38 PM, AH2020 said:

I am at 18 months as well and almost 4 months past regular processing time. I opened multiple service requests without answer. Yesterday my local congressman sent me the below answer he received from USCIS:

 

"Thank you for your inquiries about the case status of your constituent Citizenship Application. Currently the application is delayed due to a delay at the National Records Center (NRC). The file we need in order to proceed with this Citizenship Application is archived at the NRC and the USCIS National Benefits Center ordered the file April 2020. Due to the COVID pandemic the NRC has experience staff shortages that limit requests to law enforcement related requests only. We have made a local inquiry about obtaining the archived file and will update your office when a response is received. We apologize for the delay."

 

I think all the April applicants are stuck there, it is really unbelievable. I am tempted to just file a new N400 but wonder if that would only cause problems. I opened a case with the ombudsman on Oct 4 and waiting to see what they come back with. 

Not sure what your field office is but I was able to determine that most NRCs are closed or operating at 20% capacity - and no one knows when they are going to back up. 

 

For instance the Lee Summit Federal Record Center in Missouri is closed. This NRC serves the federal agencies of NY/NJ, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 

 

The site also indicates 'Staff at closed location will respond to emergency requests for records'. 

 

Failing a positive response from the Ombudsman or using the white house 'help with federal agency option , I would seriously consider talking to an immigration attorney to see if a writ mandamus can be applied in this instance .

 

 

 

[fairvien 0]

5 hours ago, roddie2k said:

Not sure what your field office is but I was able to determine that most NRCs are closed or operating at 20% capacity - and no one knows when they are going to back up. 

 

For instance the Lee Summit Federal Record Center in Missouri is closed. This NRC serves the federal agencies of NY/NJ, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 

 

The site also indicates 'Staff at closed location will respond to emergency requests for records'. 

 

Failing a positive response from the Ombudsman or using the white house 'help with federal agency option , I would seriously consider talking to an immigration attorney to see if a writ mandamus can be applied in this instance .

 

 

 

I'm thinking about writ mandamus too, and think we the affected April-May 2020 filers should work as a group to pursue our legal rights. for example, I always see this kind of news: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article255055817.html, and wonder how those people organized together... any thoughts?

[roddie2k 68]

3 hours ago, fairvien said:

I'm thinking about writ mandamus too, and think we the affected April-May 2020 filers should work as a group to pursue our legal rights. for example, I always see this kind of news: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article255055817.html, and wonder how those people organized together... any thoughts?

No clue on that - but I can tell you that if word gets out in mainstream media about the lackadaisical approach of the USCIS and the NRC closures, the onus will shift  on the government -without the need for mass litigation . A good percentage of the population is back to work in some form and these folks haven't figured out how to go about it ? Total  b.s. 

 

Now if only there were people on the forum who worked in that space (media/social media) 🤔

 

 

 

 

[orangeal 12]

10 hours ago, ptMay2020 said:

How did you contact the congressman. Is it by the contact me option in the house.gov site? and sending a mail?. Please sugget

Filing again is of no benefit because the file they need is not the N400 and other documents that you filed. It's your 'original' immigrant/non-immigrant files that are kept in paper form. 

I also filed with the ombudsman about the same time as you and am waiting for a response. 

[orangeal 12]

42 minutes ago, roddie2k said:

No clue on that - but I can tell you that if word gets out in mainstream media about the lackadaisical approach of the USCIS and the NRC closures, the onus will shift  on the government -without the need for mass litigation . A good percentage of the population is back to work in some form and these folks haven't figured out how to go about it ? Total  b.s. 

 

Now if only there were people on the forum who worked in that space (media/social media) 🤔

 

 

 

 

I think a letter to secretary Mayorkas would probably do the trick. I doubt that anybody of some authority at Homeland knows about this bottleneck. Which begs the question: why is this still a clerical issue? You can tell by the diction in the responses from USCIS that they were prepared by low level staffers. Sorry.

[mnt96 22]

5 hours ago, fairvien said:

I'm thinking about writ mandamus too, and think we the affected April-May 2020 filers should work as a group to pursue our legal rights. for example, I always see this kind of news: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article255055817.html, and wonder how those people organized together... any thoughts?

@fairvien i'm all in on any way we can bring balance and fairness to USCIS.  They have such a wide range of processing times depending on field office and then lack of orderly processing for some people.  I feel for April and May 2020 applicants.  Maybe we can start a petition, write to Secretary Mayorkas, hire an attorney as a group etc?  Either way we need to do something!!

[orangeal 12]

6 hours ago, roddie2k said:

No clue on that - but I can tell you that if word gets out in mainstream media about the lackadaisical approach of the USCIS and the NRC closures, the onus will shift  on the government -without the need for mass litigation . A good percentage of the population is back to work in some form and these folks haven't figured out how to go about it ? Total  b.s. 

 

Now if only there were people on the forum who worked in that space (media/social media) 🤔

 

 

 

 

The Miami Herald covers immigration issues more than probably any major newspaper in America. So very early this morning. I e-mailed the journalist who wrote the piece about the diversity visa situation in the link above and explained what's going on with the National Archives. I told them that l would be able to give them some contacts to confirm the story. I have not heard back from them yet but if l do, l will need some of you guys affected by this situation to talk to this reporter. Any volunteers? 

[roddie2k 68]

6 hours ago, orangeal said:

The Miami Herald covers immigration issues more than probably any major newspaper in America. So very early this morning. I e-mailed the journalist who wrote the piece about the diversity visa situation in the link above and explained what's going on with the National Archives. I told them that l would be able to give them some contacts to confirm the story. I have not heard back from them yet but if l do, l will need some of you guys affected by this situation to talk to this reporter. Any volunteers? 

Thanks for taking the lead on this ..

 

My case is still within processing time ( still got 2+ months to go effectively outside of processing time) . Although I'm expecting  to receive a similar response. 

 

So far these are the options I have collated once the case goes out of processing time : 

 

a. Sending e-request to USCIS 

b. Contacting your local Congressman

c. Contacting your State Senator 

d. Contacting USCIS Ombudsman

e. Contacting the White house 

f. Scheduling an InfoPass appointment

g. Consulting with an attorney /filing writ mandamus

 

Feel free to add any additional items that may be of help

[millefleur 5,043]

8 hours ago, orangeal said:

The Miami Herald covers immigration issues more than probably any major newspaper in America. So very early this morning. I e-mailed the journalist who wrote the piece about the diversity visa situation in the link above and explained what's going on with the National Archives. I told them that l would be able to give them some contacts to confirm the story. I have not heard back from them yet but if l do, l will need some of you guys affected by this situation to talk to this reporter. Any volunteers? 

Maybe cross-post this to the May 2020 filers and other 2020 filer threads where people have been waiting for over a year for updates.

[Cloggie 17]

I escalated my case to the Ombudsman. Really hope something will come out of this.

Still don't understand, why in the digital age, this has to take this long. I also would like to compliment everybody on this forum for their patience and civility...truly amazing!

Not easy what you all are going through. Hang in there.

[AH2020 30]

Sorry, I am out of the country currently so couldn't respond earlier. Re the question above about how to contact the congressman, just look up your local congressman and go on their website. They usually have information there about  how they can help with immigration issues. Mine has been really helpful, although I did not get any good results from USCIS, my contact at the reps office checks in with me every few weeks to see if I heard anything.

 

I am too thinking about hiring an immigration lawyer. All I am waiting for right now is what response I am getting from the ombudsman. If that does not produce any positive results, I will speak to a lawyer and see what they recommend. It is truly unacceptable that they just expect us to sit and wait while they process all the cases from 2021. I am so pissed off and frustrated with the situation, I just want something done. Good luck to all of us.