Backlogs in Immigration Processing Persist

This fact sheet examines the scope and extent of the U.S. immigration system’s chronic backlogs. It offers insight into the factors that contribute to protracted processing delays for naturalization and permanent residency applications before highlighting the steps the government has taken to address the issue.

The fact sheet finds that the number of backlogged applications for immigration benefits has increased by over 1,000 percent since 1990. The greatest contributor appears to be the significant growth in the number of naturalization applications, which nearly quadrupled between 1992 and 1997 due to a combination of legislative measures that required green-card holders to apply for costly new documents, barred legal immigrants from public benefits eligibility, and expanded the grounds by which noncitizens could be arrested, detained, and deported. In addition, the fact sheet attributes delays in processing to resource-intensive and time-consuming post-9/11 security measures.

While U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have launched a Backlog Reduction Plan that stresses technological and procedural improvements, the authors remain skeptical of its impact.