Friday, April 5, 2019

Representatives Jesús “Chuy” García and Adriano Espaillat Call Foul on USCIS Office Closures

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Diamonds-USA Love Shines

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by: Jesus Garcia (D-IL, 4th)

Washington, D.C. - April 5, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- Reps. Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) led more than 60 of their colleagues in an effort to prevent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from closing its international field offices. Last month, the agency announced it would close nearly two-dozen offices in 21 countries around the globe that assist with refugee and asylum cases, help Americans who are adopting children from abroad, and process applications to reunite families. The offices also work to combat immigration fraud.

“USCIS International Operations Division field offices provide critical services that aid our immigration process and prospective immigrants. We believe the Trump Administration’s proposal to close these offices runs counter to its stated goal of helping reduce the current backlog Instead, we fear this is an ill-conceived attempt to reduce legal immigration by reducing access to the agencies that implement our immigration laws,” the members wrote in a letter to the Appropriations Committee requesting language in its report to accompany the bill funding the Department of Homeland Security recommending USCIS keep the international field offices fully operational. The Appropriations Committee is expected to consider the bill later this spring.

“This is another example of the president’s broader attack on immigrants. Trump’s decision hurts American families, businesses, and individuals seeking humanitarian relief. His actions fly in the face of our American principles of welcoming people seeking a better life and opportunity,” said Rep. García.

“The Trump Administration will stop at nothing to make it harder for immigrants to come to the United States legally,” said Rep. Espaillat. “This is just another battle in his war on immigrants, and we won’t stand for it. USCIS’s overseas offices provide critical services not only to prospective immigrants, but also to U.S. citizens, and they must remain open.”

The letter continues: “The administration claims it will redistribute resources from closing international field offices to domestic offices in order to reduce caseload backlogs. Yet, at the same time, the President’s Budget request includes proposed increases in visa application fees, including a “deficit reduction” surcharge that would not even fund agency operations. It would seem to be against the interests of prospective immigrants, the mandate of the agency, and the intent of Congress to levy additional fees that will not even help to reduce caseload backlogs. We strongly believe the administration is presenting a false choice – USCIS can continue to operate its international field offices while finding other efficiencies to reduce its backlog of cases.”

The members also recommended increased funding to assist the agency with its growing caseload backlog, which has reached a nearly two-year wait following the filing of a petition.

In addition to this request, Reps. García and Espaillat are crafting forthcoming legislation that would prohibit USCIS from closing international field offices without consulting with Congress.

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