Looks pretty grim - 4.9 million cases pending, a year over year increase of 23 percent! here is the summary taken from the fragomen website...
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INS Releases Statistical Report for January 2003
March 12, 2003 – The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has released its statistical report for the month of January 2003. Here is a brief synopsis of the report's findings.
· Immigration Benefits - The report noted that receipt of applications and petitions for immigration benefits in January 2003 increased 1 percent compared to January 2002. Approvals were down 28 percent while denials decreased by 9 percent during these months. The total number of immigration application pending cases reached 4.9 million, an increase of 23 percent compared to January 2002.
· Inspections - Inspections in January 2003 decreased by 3 percent over January 2002. Air admissions increased 6 percent and land admissions decreased by 6 percent.
· Naturalization - Naturalization receipts in January 2003 decreased 46 percent while approvals were down 38 percent and denials were down 51 percent when compared to January 2002. In the first four months of fiscal year 2003, approximately 120,000 applicants for naturalization took the oath of citizenship.
· Removals - Removals for January 2003 increased 17 percent compared to January 2002. In January 2003, INS removed approximately 14,500 foreign nationals from the United States, 6,321 of whom were criminals.
· Asylum - Applications for asylum decreased 24 percent in January 2003 compared to the number filed in January 2002. The pending caseload was 7 percent lower than in the same month last year.
To view this report in its entirety, click here:
http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/aboutus/statistics/msrjan03/index.htm
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INS Releases Statistical Report for January 2003
March 12, 2003 – The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has released its statistical report for the month of January 2003. Here is a brief synopsis of the report's findings.
· Immigration Benefits - The report noted that receipt of applications and petitions for immigration benefits in January 2003 increased 1 percent compared to January 2002. Approvals were down 28 percent while denials decreased by 9 percent during these months. The total number of immigration application pending cases reached 4.9 million, an increase of 23 percent compared to January 2002.
· Inspections - Inspections in January 2003 decreased by 3 percent over January 2002. Air admissions increased 6 percent and land admissions decreased by 6 percent.
· Naturalization - Naturalization receipts in January 2003 decreased 46 percent while approvals were down 38 percent and denials were down 51 percent when compared to January 2002. In the first four months of fiscal year 2003, approximately 120,000 applicants for naturalization took the oath of citizenship.
· Removals - Removals for January 2003 increased 17 percent compared to January 2002. In January 2003, INS removed approximately 14,500 foreign nationals from the United States, 6,321 of whom were criminals.
· Asylum - Applications for asylum decreased 24 percent in January 2003 compared to the number filed in January 2002. The pending caseload was 7 percent lower than in the same month last year.
To view this report in its entirety, click here:
http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/aboutus/statistics/msrjan03/index.htm