Righting the Ship: The Current Status of USCIS Processing Delays and How the Agency Can Get Back on Course

On December 16, 2021, USCIS issued a press release enumerating its accomplishments throughout Fiscal
Year (FY) 2021. USCIS and its customers indeed have a lot to celebrate over the past year. The agency is trying to navigate rough waters exacerbated by a global pandemic. After years of damage caused by processes and policies designed to intentionally slow down case-processing times as noted in AILA’s prior policy briefs on processing delays, USCIS has begun patching up some of the holes consistent with AILA recommendations.