How does USCIS decide the "current processing date" value

[registrationid]

USCIS publishes the 'current processing dates' every 2 weeks. However we clearly come across cases in each of those categories that have receipt dates much prior to the priority date.
For e.g.:
Report 1: Week 1
USCIS publishes priority date for category A: 1/1/2004
Report 2: Week 3
USCIS publishes priority date for category A: 2/1/2004

On week 4 one can still find cases having receipt date of 12/1/2003

So how can USCIS publish a report on WEEK3 stating that they are processing cases applied prior to 2/1/2004 and yet have 12/1/2003 pending. Isnt it that only after approving all cases till 1/1/2004, USCIS is supposed to move ahead so that on Week 3 they would be working only on cases between 1/1/2004 and 2/1/2004?

 

[1MoreSufferer]

My guess

It's like a any support process I guess.

x number of people working on cases. Some are complicated and some are easy ones.

When the case is complicated one it is just kept at the end of pile. No RFE or anything ....

If the process is effective (which I think it is not at all), if they encounter complicated case it should be handled by supervisor or senior members etc., But instead it just goes to the end of the pile. Unless someone enquires about that case, no body touches it.

Some lucky cases get RFE and finally it gets apporved.

So to answer your question, they update the processing date, I think based on average of all the people processing times. Some are left alone. But most of the people might be working on cases mentioned in the priorirty dates...

 

[I140_2003]

To add to that

140 processing is a two step process. The actual processing and review. The processing date refers to the first part. So, if your case is filed before the processing date, be sure it has been touched.

During the processing if they cannot take a decision they mark it for review. The reviewers pick cases, at their own sweet will, and take action. Here, I fully agree with 1MoreSufferer, they pick the easy ones first. Since the processing is quite fast now, the reviewers will always have a lot to work with. The complicated one's may suffer.