In recent years, the backlog of pending applications at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has surged. The backlog creates significant processing delays, keeps immigrants in administrative limbo, and obstructs the American dream. This Note examines USCIS’s origins and duties, causes of the backlog, and potential reforms for backlog reduction. USCIS leadership’s statements on the issue and bipartisan legislative proposals indicate recent support to revamp the U.S. immigration system. Ideal reforms, this Note argues, should include both internal measures within USCIS and external measures from Congress and courts.  

Continue Reading Stuck on the Backburner: An Analysis of USCIS’s Backlog of Immigration Applications and Potential Reforms