National Immigration Reform May Create “Mother of All Backlogs”

The Department of Homeland Security has warned the Obama Administration and Congress, the proposed approval of a National Immigration Bill would create a backlog of paperwork like they have never seen before. The reason for this gigantic backlog of work, the U.S Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) is just beginning to convert from paper to electronic record keeping. The timeframe to completion is two to three years.

The USCIS is an agency of the Department Homeland Security and handles immigrant applications. Currently this agency handles nearly 6 million applications per year. The USCIS currently employs 18,000 workers and contractor. They have 250 offices across the world. Currently, Alejandro Mayorkas is the director of USICS. He is working with Janet Napolitano, head of the current immigration reform. Janet Napolitano, a former governor of Arizona, is the Homeland Security Secretary in the Obama administration.

If a new national immigration Bill is approved, it could add another 12 million applications to this already overworked agency. One part of the proposed Immigration Bill four pillars is to make illegal immigrant legal through the already established immigration application process.
Assistant Inspector General of the Homeland Security Department, Frank Deffer said in the House Judiciary Committee’s immigration subcommittee “the added 12 million applications would create a severe backlog at the USCIS.”

The USCIS Director, Alejandro Mayorkas was more confident after the hearing and said “The USCIS will be ready for Comprehensive reform when enacted.” He also expects Congress to give the agency more resources should the bill pass. The current FY 2011 proposed budget is 2.8 billion in funding of which 2.4 billion in revenue fee and 386 million in appropriations. This is 162 million above FY 2010.

One of the biggest concerns of the New Immigration Reform other than increased future costs, is if immigration background checks will be easily overlooked amongst backlogs and the increased workloads


References; US Immigration Newsletter April 2010, United States Citizen and Immigration Website http://www.uscis.gov/ , NY Times Julie Preston October 2009