July 2nd, 2004
RE:
Bill to Amend Section 316(a)(1) of the INA
as the relief for innocent victims of USCIS unreasonable I-485 processing delay
Dear Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren;
I am very thankful to you for your continuing support to reduce immigration backlogs. As a congressional representative of a CA 16th District which represents a large community of immigrants, you are doing a wonderful job. I'm particularly very happy to learn that you have urged USCIS Director Eduardo Aguirre to address immigration petition backlogs by sending a letter with other representatives on June 15, 2004.
Well, its co-incidence or your influence, on June 17, 2004, USCIS updated its Backlog Elimination Plan. Also, USCIS has recently introduced a couple of pilot programs. The end of FY2006 may eliminate more than two years of the current I-485 backlog. Its updated plan and its pilot programs will benefit new I-485 applicants very much. But I think that should not leave older applicants in limbo.
As you are working on immigration backlogs, I would request you and the Congress to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) about five-year residential requirement for Naturalization. Under section 316(a)(1) of the INA, we have to wait another five years to apply Naturalization after I-485 being approved. Considering the current huge backlog and new I-140/I-485 process, could you work on a bill as:
(a)
Section 316(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1427(a)(1)) is amended by inserting "after the petition for the immigrant visa under section 204(a) being filed or" before "after being lawfully admitted for permanent residence".
Here, the "petition for the immigrant visa under section 204(a)" means I-140 (or I-130).
If you can give us an appointment to talk about this amendment, we can exchange our thoughts on this amendment with you.
Sincerely,
<name>
<address>
(CA 16th District)
ImmigrationPortal.com
Community for Information,
Action and Reform
ImmigrationPortal.org
Voice of Legal Immigrants