485 delays

http://www.murthy.com/bulletin.html

1. Delays Due to Religious Worker Deadline

...

Conclusion

We understand the need to meet the deadline for the religious workers and to resolve the long-standing problems faced by those seeking adjustment of status as asylees. However, the NSC and CSC should have adequate funding allocated to them to process all cases within a reasonable time. With sufficient staff, they could meet deadlines without greatly disrupting the processing of other cases. It is particularly problematic when processing times are already measured in years. For this reason it is important that our readers lobby their Congresspersons for additional funding for immigration services, as well as for greater oversight to ensure funds remitted as immigration filing fees are used exclusively by BCIS for service-related functions, and not diverted for other purposes. This would enable BCIS to provide better service to those who are paying fees with the reasonable expectation of receiving, maintaining, or extending lawful status in the United States in a timely and efficient manner.

© The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C.
 
http://www.aila.org/fileViewer.aspx?docID=10922

AILA WASHINGTON UPDATE
Volume 7, Number 10, August 11, 2003

August Recess Provides Opportune Time to Meet with Lawmakers
Many Senators and Representatives will be in their states/districts during the August recess. The recess offers a great opportunity to meet with them on important issues including ...
Members of Congress will return to Washington, D.C. the first week of September.
 
Senator Dianne Feinstein & Immigration Services and Infrasctucture Improvement Act

http://www.senate.gov/~feinstein/immig_backlog.html
Immigrant Status Backlog

On May 18, 2000, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced bipartisan legislation to provide the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) with the resources it needs to help eliminate the current backlog in naturalization, adjustments of status, and visa applications.

The Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2000 (S. 2586) also provides more direction and greater accountability on how the INS uses funds appropriated by Congress.

...
Click to expand...
Does somebody know whether she is still interested in backlog reduction or not ?
 
S.2586

> Immigration Services and Infrasctucture Improvement Act of 2000
> Also, does somebody know what happened on this bill three years ago ?

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d106:SN02586:@@@L&summ2=m&

S.2586
Title: A bill to reduce the backlog in the processing of immigration benefit applications and to make improvements to infrastructure necessary for the effective provision of immigration services, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] (introduced 5/18/2000) Cosponsors: 12
Latest Major Action: 5/18/2000 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Note: On September 28, 2000, the Senate incorporated the text of S. 2586 into S.Amdt. 4275 to S. 2045. S. 2045 became Public Law 106-313.

SUMMARY AS OF:
5/18/2000--Introduced.

Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements Act of 2000 - Directs the Attorney General to take necessary measures to: (1) reduce the immigration application backlog and ensure that a subsequent backlog does not develop; and (2) make infrastructure improvements to effectively provide immigration services.

Authorizes appropriations which shall be designated in the Treasury as the Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements Account.

Directs the Attorney General to make specified backlog elimination reports.
 
S.2045

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d106:SN02045:@@@L&summ2=m&

S.2045
Title: A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to H-1B nonimmigrant aliens.
Sponsor: Sen Hatch, Orrin G. [UT] (introduced 2/9/2000) Cosponsors: 24
Latest Major Action: 10/17/2000 Became Public Law No: 106-313. bbc

SUMMARY AS OF:
10/3/2000--Passed Senate, amended. (There are 2 other summaries)

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

* Title I: American Competitiveness in the Twenty- First Century
* Title II: Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements

...

Title II: Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements - Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements Act of 2000 - Authorizes the Attorney General to take necessary steps to: (1) reduce the immigration backlog; and (2) make infrastructure improvements to effectively provide immigration services. Authorizes appropriations. Sets forth related reporting requirements.
 
Title II: Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements SEC. 201 - 204

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=106_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ313.106
Code: 
TITLE <<NOTE: Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements Act 
of 2000.>> II--IMMIGRATION SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS

SEC. 201. <<NOTE: 8 USC 1551 note.>> SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Immigration Services and 
Infrastructure Improvements Act of 2000''.

SEC. 202. <<NOTE: 8 USC 1571.>> PURPOSES.

    (a) Purposes.--The purposes of this title are to--
            (1) provide the Immigration and Naturalization Service with 
        the mechanisms it needs to eliminate the current backlog in the 
        processing of immigration benefit applications within 1 year 
        after enactment of this Act and to maintain the elimination of 
        the backlog in future years; and
            (2) provide for regular congressional oversight of the 
        performance of the Immigration and Naturalization Service in 
        eliminating the backlog and processing delays in immigration 
        benefits adjudications.

    (b) Policy.--It <<NOTE: Applicability. Deadline.>> is the sense of 
Congress that the processing of an immigration benefit application 
should be completed not later than 180 days after the initial filing of 
the application, except that a petition for a nonimmigrant visa under 
section 214(c) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act should be processed not later than 
30 days after the filing of the petition.

SEC. 203. <<NOTE: 8 USC 1572.>> DEFINITIONS.

    In this title:
            (1) Backlog.--The term ``backlog'' means, with respect to an 
        immigration benefit application, the period of time in excess of 
        180 days that such application has been pending before the 
        Immigration and Naturalization Service.
            (2) Immigration benefit application.--The term ``immigration 
        benefit application'' means any application or petition to 
        confer, certify, change, adjust, or extend any status granted 
        under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

SEC. 204. <<NOTE: 8 USC 1573.>> IMMIGRATION SERVICES AND 
                        INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT.

    (a) Authority of the Attorney General.--The Attorney General shall 
take such measures as may be necessary to--
            (1) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> reduce the backlog in the processing 
        of immigration benefit applications, with the objective of the 
        total elimination of the backlog not later than one year after 
        the date of enactment of this Act;
            (2) make such other improvements in the processing of 
        immigration benefit applications as may be necessary to ensure 
        that a backlog does not develop after such date; and
            (3) make such improvements in infrastructure as may be 
        necessary to effectively provide immigration services.

    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Department of Justice from time to time such sums as may be 
        necessary for the Attorney General to carry out subsection (a).
            (2) Designation of account in treasury.--Amounts 
        appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) may be referred to as the 
        ``Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements 
        Account''.
            (3) Availability of funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until expended.
            (4) Limitation on expenditures.--None of the funds 
        appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) may be expended until the 
        report described in section 205(a) has been submitted to 
        Congress.
 
Title II: Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements SEC. 205

Code: 
SEC. 205. <<NOTE: 8 USC 1574.>> REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    (a) Backlog Elimination Plan.--
            (1) Report <<NOTE: Deadline.>> required.--Not later than 90 
        days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney 
        General shall submit a report to the Committees on the Judiciary 
        and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of 
        Representatives concerning--
                    (A) the backlogs in immigration benefit applications 
                in existence as of the date of enactment of this title; 
                and
                    (B) the Attorney General's plan for eliminating such 
                backlogs.
            (2) Report elements.--The report shall include--
                    (A) an assessment of the data systems used in 
                adjudicating and reporting on the status of immigration 
                benefit applications, including--
                          (i) a description of the adequacy of existing 
                      computer hardware, computer software, and other 
                      mechanisms to comply with the adjudications and 
                      reporting requirements of this title; and
                          (ii) a plan for implementing improvements to 
                      existing data systems to accomplish the purpose of 
                      this title, as described in section 202(a);
                    (B) a description of the quality controls to be put 
                into force to ensure timely, fair, accurate, and 
                complete processing and adjudication of such 
                applications;
                    (C) the elements specified in subsection (b)(2);
                    (D) an estimate of the amount of appropriated funds 
                that would be necessary in order to eliminate the 
                backlogs in each category of immigration benefit 
                applications described in subsection (b)(2); and
                    (E) a detailed plan on how the Attorney General will 
                use any funds in the Immigration Services and 
                Infrastructure Improvements Account to comply with the 
                purposes of this title.

    (b) Annual Reports.--
            (1) In <<NOTE: Deadline.>> general.--Beginning 90 days after 
        the end of the first fiscal year for which any appropriation 
        authorized by section 204(b) is made, and 90 days after the end 
        of each fiscal year thereafter, the Attorney General shall 
        submit a report to the Committees on the Judiciary and 
        Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
        concerning the status of--
                    (A) the Immigration Services and Infrastructure 
                Improvements Account including any unobligated balances 
                of appropriations in the Account; and
                    (B) the Attorney General's efforts to eliminate 
                backlogs in any immigration benefit application 
                described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Report elements.--The report shall include--
                    (A) State-by-State data on--
                          (i) the number of naturalization cases 
                      adjudicated in each quarter of each fiscal year;
                          (ii) the average processing time for 
                      naturalization applications;
                          (iii) the number of naturalization 
                      applications pending for up to 6 months, 12 
                      months, 18 months, 24 months, 36 months, and 48 
                      months or more;
                          (iv) estimated processing times adjudicating 
                      newly submitted naturalization applications;
                          (v) an analysis of the appropriate processing 
                      times for naturalization applications; and
                          (vi) the additional resources and process 
                      changes needed to eliminate the backlog for 
                      naturalization adjudications;
                    (B) the status of applications or, where applicable, 
                petitions described in subparagraph (C), by Immigration 
                and Naturalization Service district, including--
                          (i) the number of cases adjudicated in each 
                      quarter of each fiscal year;
                          (ii) the average processing time for such 
                      applications or petitions;
                          (iii) the number of applications or petitions 
                      pending for up to 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 
                      24 months, 36 months, and 48 months or more;
                          (iv) the estimated processing times 
                      adjudicating newly submitted applications or 
                      petitions;
                          (v) an analysis of the appropriate processing 
                      times for applications or petitions; and
                          (vi) a description of the additional resources 
                      and process changes needed to eliminate the 
                      backlog for such processing and adjudications; and
                    (C) a status report on--
                          (i) applications for adjustments of status to 
                      that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent 
                      residence;
                          (ii) petitions for nonimmigrant visas under 
                      section 214 of the Immigration and Nationality 
                      Act;
                          (iii) petitions filed under section 204 of 
                      such Act to classify aliens as immediate relatives 
                      or preference immigrants under section 203 of such 
                      Act;
                          (iv) applications for asylum under section 208 
                      of such Act;
                          (v) registrations for Temporary Protected 
                      Status under section 244 of such Act; and
                          (vi) a description of the additional resources 
                      and process changes needed to eliminate the 
                      backlog for such processing and adjudications.
            (3) Absence <<NOTE: Reports. Deadline.>> of appropriated 
        funds.--In the event that no funds are appropriated subject to 
        section 204(b) in the fiscal year in which this Act is enacted, 
        the Attorney General shall submit a report to Congress not later 
        than 90 days after the end of such fiscal year, and each fiscal 
        year thereafter, containing the elements described in paragraph 
        (2).
 
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