Individuals who are interested in immigrating to America may be set back by the backlog that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) is currently experiencing. The wait times for work permits and green cards have reached unprecedented levels, as has the number of lawsuits filed by immigrants in an attempt to expedite the process.
Here’s what to know about the backlog, what you may be able to do to avoid it, and how an experienced Texas immigration attorney can help.
What Is the Immigration Backlog?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged restricted travel, the United States is facing an extreme backlog of various immigration applications. There are a staggering 5.2 million cases in the backlog alone, and 8.5 million cases are waiting to even be entered into the system. In July 2019, the backlog was only 2.7 million cases, with none pending.
What Is the United States Doing to Address the Backlog?
USCIS has committed to taking action to reducing the number of cases in the backlog as quickly and efficiently as possible. In addition to setting ambitious goals for the expedited processing of immigration applications, the department is hiring over 4,000 new employees to help decrease the amount of time immigration applications spend on the waiting list.
What Immigrants Can Do In the Meantime
In the meantime, immigrants coming to the United States can do a few things to ensure their applications are processed as smoothly as possible after they come off the backlog, including:
- Reviewing the application for any spelling mistakes or grammar errors
- Reviewing the application for factual errors, like incorrect addresses or telephone numbers
- Paying for premium processing for eligible applications
- Contacting your congressional representative and asking them to reach out to USCIS on your behalf
- Contacting the CIS Ombudsman for assistance once your application processing time has exceeded the current estimated delay
- Calling the USCIS Contact Center to request expedited processing
- Working with an experienced immigration lawyer who will communicate with USCIS representatives for you
When to Contact a Veteran Texas Immigration Attorney
Ideally, you will be able to reach out to a Texas immigration attorney before filing your application. Your lawyer can help you from the start to ensure your application is completed and submitted properly to reduce the chances of rejection once it comes off the backlog. A lawyer can also help you file suit in the event that your application is unreasonably delayed. Contact Eluid Zavala now by calling (713) 766-6720 (Houston) or (713) 588-2132 (Greenspoint Park).