In the past several months, it was reported that USCIS is going to furlough around 13,4000 staff members in August in the face of financial difficulties. Multiple news sources covered how USCIS, a fee funded agency, was directly impacted by its closure since March and the Trump’s proclamation on suspending certain immigrant and non immigrant visas. Around 70% of USCIS employees received an email which says they will be furloughed from August, which in turn, cause the delay of OPT review and EAD processing time 2020. What is more, the Ombudsman also predicted delays of EAD processing as USCIS is suffering from the insufficient human and financial resources to print out LPR (Lawful Permanent Residents) and EAD (Employment Authorization Document) cards. However, it turns out that USCIS has enough funding to survive until the end of this fiscal year, according to 2 democrats.
Do you remember when the proposal to limit the OPT (Optional Practical Training) program was sent to the Congress? The proposal was backed by the White House but, it didn’t pass through, thanks to the letter written and signed by 21 Republicans. This scenario plays out in the USCIS’s furlough plan as well. Original furlough plan was postponed to August 30, after two Democrats send the letter to the USCIS Deputy Policy Director Joseph Edlow and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to postpone planned worker furloughs. Given the fact that Chad Wolf had received the letter which backs OPT by 21 Republicans, he’s receiving letters that oppose his plan almost every month! Anyway, this blog post will have a look at the letter by 2 Democrats and how this would impact on EAD processing time 2020.
(Photo Credit: fcw.com)
Contents
Lack of funding? Enough funding!
According to FWC.com, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Homeland Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-Mont. found that USCIS has enough funding to send out paychecks to its employees throughout the end of the fiscal year which is the 30th of September. In this light, Leahy and Tester wrote a letter to Joseph Eldow and Chad Wolf to postpone planned worker furloughs. In the letter, Leahy and Tester showed their commitment to address “this issue in the next coronavirus supplemental so that USCIS can continue accomplishing its missions without a furlough.” Additionally, Leahy and Tester reminded them of possible ripple effect of their decisions by saying “it is not just these employees and their families that will be impacted by your decision to furlough them – thousands of United States Citizens, employers, and students rely on USCIS work, including members of the military. “
The agency is apparently on track to end the current fiscal year a surplus of funding and enough money to pay its employees through the rest of the fiscal year.
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You must not sit by as thousands of American jobs are on the line, particularly during a time of unprecedented unemployment.
LAWMAKERS ASK DHS LEADERS TO POSTPONE USCIS FURLOUGHS
Delayed USCIS furlough plan and EAD processing time 2020
Three days later, Leahy confirmed that USCIS is not going to furlough 13,400 federal workers on August 3, but August 30. This delay was made based on the expectation that USCIS can buy time to receive federal fundings or to have more applications which are their primary income source. The President Trump recently made exceptions to travel as well as apply for visas, which would help USCIS to raise more fees as well (More details can be found from related blog post below).
Related blog post: U.S. embassy reopening date and travel exceptions
Postponed plan to furlough USCIS employees would help USCIS to go back to their normal process for sure. However, from the point that this decision doesn’t solve the backlog issue as well as the printing issue, it is hard to expect that the processing time will be improved revolutionary. As the printing issue can be solved upon the receipt of coronavirus supplemental, we will have to wait until the approval by Congress to see USCIS’s Q3 and Q4 processing time. Thus, as always, it would be wise to apply for OPT as early as possible and choose the OPT start date as late as possible.
Related blog post: I haven’t received my EAD; OPT EAD processing time
References
- Lawmakers ask DHS leaders to postpone USCIS furloughs by Lia Russell from FCW.com
- USCIS postpones planned furloughs by By Lia Russell from FCW.com
