The Current Backlog

[trailmix 77]

I believe this falls under the same category of management as any company that takes on a big contract and doesn't prepare (because that costs money) and then asks the employees to pick up overtime to compensate for their lack of planning.

The reward is a big influx of money, it happens all the time. Seems to be particularly effective in a monopoly as the customers will wait.

[Caladan 19]

USCIS has never depended on 'money from Congress'. Not that I'm aware of anyway.

I thought only 20% of their budget was from fees. Whatever. I just want my damn NOA1. I want to go back and do a civil ceremony in June like I wanted instead of listening to my parents and church tut-tut at me about how that immigration stuff couldn't really be that hard so why would I need to beat a fee increase.

I am terrified at this point that I will have my PhD before we interview, meaning no more income because even if I land a job, it won't start till next September.

[TracyTN 237]

USCIS has never depended on 'money from Congress'. Not that I'm aware of anyway.

I thought only 20% of their budget was from fees. Whatever. I just want my damn NOA1. I want to go back and do a civil ceremony in June like I wanted instead of listening to my parents and church tut-tut at me about how that immigration stuff couldn't really be that hard so why would I need to beat a fee increase.

I am terrified at this point that I will have my PhD before we interview, meaning no more income because even if I land a job, it won't start till next September.

Really? Hmm - I thought they were 'self supported', which was another reason they gave for the fee increase. I better go do some research (or wait for someone here smarter than me to say for sure)!

*hugs* Caladan. Your NOA1's gotta be coming soon!

[WifeOHunkyJohn 2]

Q. Why does USCIS charge fees for immigration benefits?

A. Congress created a user fee account for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in 1988, transforming it into a fee-based agency. USCIS continues to be a fee-based agency. This means that since 1988 the immigration benefit operation has operated under a user fee account instead of receiving appropriated funds for its daily operations. The transition from funds appropriated by Congress to a user fee to support immigration case processing means that the revenue from application fees support the agency’s processing of each application. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides for the collection of fees at a level that will ensure recovery of the full costs of providing adjudication and naturalization services, including the costs of providing similar services without charge to asylum applicants and certain other immigrants. The fee received must also pay for the infrastructure USCIS must develop and maintain to support case processing, and the administration of the nation’s immigration laws.

Between FY02 and FY06, USCIS received a subsidy of appropriated funds each year for the specific purpose of backlog elimination. This subsidy of $460 million was needed to address case processing backlogs as well as the insufficiency of the fee schedule. The growth of these backlogs was due in large part to failure to recover the full cost associated with the processing of applications; additional security checks and quality controls imposed following 9/11 that were not accounted for in the existing fee structure.

[source]

[TracyTN 237]

Q. Why does USCIS charge fees for immigration benefits?

A. Congress created a user fee account for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in 1988, transforming it into a fee-based agency. USCIS continues to be a fee-based agency. This means that since 1988 the immigration benefit operation has operated under a user fee account instead of receiving appropriated funds for its daily operations. The transition from funds appropriated by Congress to a user fee to support immigration case processing means that the revenue from application fees support the agency’s processing of each application. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides for the collection of fees at a level that will ensure recovery of the full costs of providing adjudication and naturalization services, including the costs of providing similar services without charge to asylum applicants and certain other immigrants. The fee received must also pay for the infrastructure USCIS must develop and maintain to support case processing, and the administration of the nation’s immigration laws.

Between FY02 and FY06, USCIS received a subsidy of appropriated funds each year for the specific purpose of backlog elimination. This subsidy of $460 million was needed to address case processing backlogs as well as the insufficiency of the fee schedule. The growth of these backlogs was due in large part to failure to recover the full cost associated with the processing of applications; additional security checks and quality controls imposed following 9/11 that were not accounted for in the existing fee structure.

[source]

Thank you!! The only thing I'd found so far was wikipedia.

[WifeOHunkyJohn 2]

And because someone asked...

Q: Why doesn’t USCIS just phase-in these increases over time to reduce the burden on applicants and petitioners?

A. USCIS has marginally increased fees since its last comprehensive fee review in fiscal year 1998, when fees increased approximately 76 percent. The last fee increase accounted solely for inflation on October 26, 2005. The comprehensive fee review has made clear, however, that these marginal increases have not allowed USCIS to meet its mission responsibilities.

Since the proposed fees are based on current USCIS costs, phasing in costs would require either an appropriated subsidy to bridge the gap during the phase-in period, or a reduction in services that would result in increased processing times, backlog growth, inability to upgrade technology and modernize systems, and inability to implement security and anti-fraud measures.[source]

Thank you!! The only thing I'd found so far was wikipedia.

USCIS website, January Press Releases "Questions and Answers: Building an Immigration Service for the 21st Century"

Second place I looked after Google news

[TracyTN 237]

I went to USCIS first but I only got back as far as April press releases before I googled (got the wikipedia and one AILA article).

Then I probably got a bit lazy.

Edited September 6, 2007 by TracyTN

[payxibka 10,045]

Q: Why doesn’t USCIS just phase-in these increases over time to reduce the burden on applicants and petitioners?

A. USCIS has marginally increased fees since its last comprehensive fee review in fiscal year 1998, when fees increased approximately 76 percent. The last fee increase accounted solely for inflation on October 26, 2005. The comprehensive fee review has made clear, however, that these marginal increases have not allowed USCIS to meet its mission responsibilities.

Since the proposed fees are based on current USCIS costs, phasing in costs would require either an appropriated subsidy to bridge the gap during the phase-in period, or a reduction in services that would result in increased processing times, backlog growth, inability to upgrade technology and modernize systems, and inability to implement security and anti-fraud measures.[source]

One reason they didn't stagger was to prevent increased processing times and backlog growth.... Yeah, OK... that one worked out real well....

Edited September 6, 2007 by fwaguy

[Mags 112]

Q: Why doesn’t USCIS just phase-in these increases over time to reduce the burden on applicants and petitioners?

A. USCIS has marginally increased fees since its last comprehensive fee review in fiscal year 1998, when fees increased approximately 76 percent. The last fee increase accounted solely for inflation on October 26, 2005. The comprehensive fee review has made clear, however, that these marginal increases have not allowed USCIS to meet its mission responsibilities.

Since the proposed fees are based on current USCIS costs, phasing in costs would require either an appropriated subsidy to bridge the gap during the phase-in period, or a reduction in services that would result in increased processing times, backlog growth, inability to upgrade technology and modernize systems, and inability to implement security and anti-fraud measures.[source]

One reason they didn't stagger was to prevent increased processing times and backlog growth.... Yeah, OK... that one worked out real well....

Didn't it just!

[no name 1]

A semi truck full of apps is quite scary. I"m sure glad we got the GC already!

[Jashley820 0]

I wonder whether applications that are currently with an adjudicator (for example, at CSC) will also be delayed? I am not sure how the process flow works, but do they have a set of people that handle the initial processing and then pass it off to the adjudicators? Or do the same set of people accept the application, process it, and adjudicate it?

I am in a weird situation (As I am sure others are too)- I filed I-485 a few months ago but decided to file for EAD and AP before the fee increase...so I don't know which one will come first due to this backlog! Just gotta sit and wait!

Edited September 6, 2007 by Jashley820

[WifeOHunkyJohn 2]

A semi truck full of apps is quite scary. I"m sure glad we got the GC already!

Sadly we haven't yet. We sent back the RFE which they received Friday - though there is every chance it is still stuck in their mail room.

Who knows when we will hear something now. It's been over a year and the only thing I've gotten out of this whole process is older.

Sigh

[rebeccajo 14]

Have a read here:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...0000ecd190aRCRD

Click on the second Press Release - Press Conference with Director Gonzalez.

An interesting fairly easy read. Especially note Page 9 of the transcript where the Director states 99% of the budget comes from user fees.

[John & Annie 0]

I wonder whether applications that are currently with an adjudicator (for example, at CSC) will also be delayed? I am not sure how the process flow works, but do they have a set of people that handle the initial processing and then pass it off to the adjudicators? Or do the same set of people accept the application, process it, and adjudicate it?

I am in a weird situation (As I am sure others are too)- I filed I-485 a few months ago but decided to file for EAD and AP before the fee increase...so I don't know which one will come first due to this backlog! Just gotta sit and wait!

I will let you know what my contact says. She was going to call around a find out how existing applications were being processed.

[Jashley820 0]

I wonder whether applications that are currently with an adjudicator (for example, at CSC) will also be delayed? I am not sure how the process flow works, but do they have a set of people that handle the initial processing and then pass it off to the adjudicators? Or do the same set of people accept the application, process it, and adjudicate it?

I am in a weird situation (As I am sure others are too)- I filed I-485 a few months ago but decided to file for EAD and AP before the fee increase...so I don't know which one will come first due to this backlog! Just gotta sit and wait!

I will let you know what my contact says. She was going to call around a find out how existing applications were being processed.

Thanks that would be great!