Legal Blog
USCIS Experiencing “Crisis-Level” Delays in Processing Applications and Petitions for Immigration Benefits
The American Immigration Lawyers Association’s analysis of recently published U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services data reveals crisis-level delays in the agency’s processing of applications and petitions for immigration benefits under the Trump administration.
AILA’s analysis of this data reveals that the overall average case processing time surged by 46 percent over the past two fiscal years and 91 percent since FY 2014. Increased delays in the adjudication of employment-based benefits have undermined the ability of U.S. companies to hire and retain essential workers and fill critical workforce gaps.
Average processing times for (non-premium filed) Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, increased by 37 percent since FY 2017 and 169 percent since FY 2014— from 2.9 months in FY 2014 to 7.8 months as of September 30, 2018. Lengthy processing delays in employment-based cases exacerbate labor shortfalls and alienate talented candidates from seeking employment opportunities in the United States, thus compromising the sustainability and global competitiveness of American businesses.
If you know someone whose application or petition for an immigration benefit is outside normal processing times, contact us at (978) 682-2220 or by email to catallah@atallahlawgroup.com.