This is what my former boss got from the USCIS:
The "blue" letters were sent in response to USCIS' realization that many
green cards printed between approximately February 27 and July 18, 2005 were
issued with an incorrect "resident since" date, although the date was
correct in
the computer. These green cards were primarily for refugee, asylee, and
Cuban
adjustment applicants.
USCIS sent the "blue letters" to alert people to the problem and provide the
opportunity to receive a new card. However, when USCIS sent the "blue
letter"
mailing, it included individuals whose green card "resident since" dates
were
actually correct. This mailing error was due to another computer problem
that included individuals whose green card applications had been approved,
but
whose cards were not yet issued, within the dates in question.
The NSC letters indicate that the recipients' green card contains an
incorrect "resident since" date. USCIS has acknowledged that many of these
letters
were sent in error. USCIS stated that it plans to send out a second letter
to
all individuals who received the initial letter in error, informing them
that
their green card was correct and that there was no need to return it.
USCIS plans to issue the second wave of letters soon, but was not able to
provide a time frame for when such letters would be sent out. USCIS stated
that
it would inform CBOs when such letters were mailed and that they would also
post an announcement on their website. Therefore, if your clients received
a
letter from the NSC, but have a correct "resident since" date on their card,
CLINIC suggests not returning the green card at this time, but instead
waiting to
receive a second letter
from USCIS with instructions not to respond. USCIS also hopes to issue a
press release on the issue of "blue letters" in the near future.
We have been informed that some individuals who received the letter but who
have a correct "resident since" date on their card have already returned
their
green card to the NSC. When we raised this issue, USCIS stated that they
had
already received 6,200 returned green cards which they were committed to
processing and returning within three weeks as indicated in the letter.
USCIS
stated that even if an individual sent the card back without an error, s/he
would
get the original green card back within three weeks.
USCIS stated that it would consider setting up a hotline or point of contact
for community-based organizations whose clients experience problems with
this
process, but did not formally commit to doing so.
USCIS also stated that it was aware that National Customer Service Center
(NCSC) operators were informing letter recipients that they had to comply
with
the letter regardless of whether or not their "resident since" date was
correct.
CBO's asked USCIS to provide different instructions to the NCSC operators.
USCIS stated that it did not want to change the instructions because it was
safer for USCIS to verify the
date in each case and there was no harm in having people return a correct
card for verification since it would be returned to the person within three
weeks
anyways.
USCIS recommends that individuals who need to return their cards make a copy
of the front and back of their green cards and a copy of the "blue letter"
for
their records, before returning the card and the blue letter to the Nebraska
Service Center. Additionally, individuals should tape, not staple, their
green cards to the designated box on the blue form. Finally, it was also
recommended that individuals send the "blue letter" and contents by
certified mail, return receipt requested.
The "blue" letters were sent in response to USCIS' realization that many
green cards printed between approximately February 27 and July 18, 2005 were
issued with an incorrect "resident since" date, although the date was
correct in
the computer. These green cards were primarily for refugee, asylee, and
Cuban
adjustment applicants.
USCIS sent the "blue letters" to alert people to the problem and provide the
opportunity to receive a new card. However, when USCIS sent the "blue
letter"
mailing, it included individuals whose green card "resident since" dates
were
actually correct. This mailing error was due to another computer problem
that included individuals whose green card applications had been approved,
but
whose cards were not yet issued, within the dates in question.
The NSC letters indicate that the recipients' green card contains an
incorrect "resident since" date. USCIS has acknowledged that many of these
letters
were sent in error. USCIS stated that it plans to send out a second letter
to
all individuals who received the initial letter in error, informing them
that
their green card was correct and that there was no need to return it.
USCIS plans to issue the second wave of letters soon, but was not able to
provide a time frame for when such letters would be sent out. USCIS stated
that
it would inform CBOs when such letters were mailed and that they would also
post an announcement on their website. Therefore, if your clients received
a
letter from the NSC, but have a correct "resident since" date on their card,
CLINIC suggests not returning the green card at this time, but instead
waiting to
receive a second letter
from USCIS with instructions not to respond. USCIS also hopes to issue a
press release on the issue of "blue letters" in the near future.
We have been informed that some individuals who received the letter but who
have a correct "resident since" date on their card have already returned
their
green card to the NSC. When we raised this issue, USCIS stated that they
had
already received 6,200 returned green cards which they were committed to
processing and returning within three weeks as indicated in the letter.
USCIS
stated that even if an individual sent the card back without an error, s/he
would
get the original green card back within three weeks.
USCIS stated that it would consider setting up a hotline or point of contact
for community-based organizations whose clients experience problems with
this
process, but did not formally commit to doing so.
USCIS also stated that it was aware that National Customer Service Center
(NCSC) operators were informing letter recipients that they had to comply
with
the letter regardless of whether or not their "resident since" date was
correct.
CBO's asked USCIS to provide different instructions to the NCSC operators.
USCIS stated that it did not want to change the instructions because it was
safer for USCIS to verify the
date in each case and there was no harm in having people return a correct
card for verification since it would be returned to the person within three
weeks
anyways.
USCIS recommends that individuals who need to return their cards make a copy
of the front and back of their green cards and a copy of the "blue letter"
for
their records, before returning the card and the blue letter to the Nebraska
Service Center. Additionally, individuals should tape, not staple, their
green cards to the designated box on the blue form. Finally, it was also
recommended that individuals send the "blue letter" and contents by
certified mail, return receipt requested.