Hello all:
Just as an FYI-
I had written a mail to the Ombudsman a while ago and today received a standard reply from his office.
I am pasting the text below:
====================================================
MY MAIL
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 1:12 PM
To: 'cisombudsman@dhs.gov'
Subject: Progress of USCIS Backlog elimination strategy
Dear Mr. Ombudsman
First of all - I would like to congratulate you on the great task that you have done in the first year of your office- it is efforts like yours that keep the spirits of so many immigrant hopefuls like us optimistic that USCIS will approve our pending I485 cases soon.
The backlog reduction strategy as outlined on the USCIS website (http://uscis.gov/graphics/aboutus/congress/testimonies/2004/Backlog_06_17_04.pdf) is definitely an interesting and ambitious plan. I am wondering if this plan is actually being followed and the targets will be met. According to the plan- on October 1 2004, the wait time for I485 applications will be no more than 20 months.
However, looking at reality - where the current processing date for I485 ( at the Nebraska service center) is Feb 1 2002, one wonders if there is a solid plan to execute the milestone tasks laid out by Director Aguirre and whether they can really cover up 11 months of backlog ( Feb 2002- Jan 2003) in 2.5 months ( Jul 2004- September 30 2004) to achieve these goals .
Could you or your office throw some light as to how the progress is being tracked. A lot of us hopeful immigrants here have had to put plans on hold, personal and professional, for many years- just because we are not yet green card holders.
I sincerely hope the backlog reduction plan is not a piece of fiction and that it boils down to reality soon.
Your responses will be highly appreciated
Sincerely
======================================================
THEIR REPLY
Thank you for your inquiry.
I recognize the frustration you and others experience with existing immigration processes. Under the Homeland Security Act, the Office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) was instituted specifically to assist USCIS customers in resolving issues, to identify problem areas in the immigration process, and to propose changes to USCIS administrative practices. Within the past months, the CIS Ombudsman has made substantial strides to that end, and most recently was sufficiently staffed to respond to public inquiries, such as yours.
In an effort to prevent continual recurrence of your reported issue in the immigration process, please be assured that your concerns have been noted and will be incorporated as appropriate into recommendations aimed at enhancing USCIS administrative practices.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Prakash Khatri,
Ombudsman
==========================================================
Just as an FYI-
I had written a mail to the Ombudsman a while ago and today received a standard reply from his office.
I am pasting the text below:
====================================================
MY MAIL
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 1:12 PM
To: 'cisombudsman@dhs.gov'
Subject: Progress of USCIS Backlog elimination strategy
Dear Mr. Ombudsman
First of all - I would like to congratulate you on the great task that you have done in the first year of your office- it is efforts like yours that keep the spirits of so many immigrant hopefuls like us optimistic that USCIS will approve our pending I485 cases soon.
The backlog reduction strategy as outlined on the USCIS website (http://uscis.gov/graphics/aboutus/congress/testimonies/2004/Backlog_06_17_04.pdf) is definitely an interesting and ambitious plan. I am wondering if this plan is actually being followed and the targets will be met. According to the plan- on October 1 2004, the wait time for I485 applications will be no more than 20 months.
However, looking at reality - where the current processing date for I485 ( at the Nebraska service center) is Feb 1 2002, one wonders if there is a solid plan to execute the milestone tasks laid out by Director Aguirre and whether they can really cover up 11 months of backlog ( Feb 2002- Jan 2003) in 2.5 months ( Jul 2004- September 30 2004) to achieve these goals .
Could you or your office throw some light as to how the progress is being tracked. A lot of us hopeful immigrants here have had to put plans on hold, personal and professional, for many years- just because we are not yet green card holders.
I sincerely hope the backlog reduction plan is not a piece of fiction and that it boils down to reality soon.
Your responses will be highly appreciated
Sincerely
======================================================
THEIR REPLY
Thank you for your inquiry.
I recognize the frustration you and others experience with existing immigration processes. Under the Homeland Security Act, the Office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) was instituted specifically to assist USCIS customers in resolving issues, to identify problem areas in the immigration process, and to propose changes to USCIS administrative practices. Within the past months, the CIS Ombudsman has made substantial strides to that end, and most recently was sufficiently staffed to respond to public inquiries, such as yours.
In an effort to prevent continual recurrence of your reported issue in the immigration process, please be assured that your concerns have been noted and will be incorporated as appropriate into recommendations aimed at enhancing USCIS administrative practices.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Prakash Khatri,
Ombudsman
==========================================================