Senate asks GAO to probe
- Senate Judiciary Democrats requested a Government Accountability Office investigation into immigration processing delays. - Senators want GAO to examine indefinite holds that have left immigrants, families, and employers 'at a loss.' - The oversight request elevates processing delays into a formal scrutiny process, potentially prompting more public accountability (notus.org)
Senate Democrats on the Judiciary Committee requested a Government Accountability Office investigation into immigration processing delays plaguing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The letter demands the GAO probe why cases are stuck in indefinite holds for months or years. (notus.org) USCIS places these holds when applications trigger extra security checks or policy reviews before final approval. Thousands of skilled workers, families and companies now wait up to 2 years in limbo with no notice of when—or if—they'll get a decision. (notus.org) The request names the spike in holds since 2021, blaming unclear new screening protocols for backing up H-1B visas, green cards and other cases. Senators Dick Durbin and Mazie Hirono led the letter to the GAO, demanding answers on backlogs now hitting over 3 million pending cases. (notus.org) Immigration processing times ballooned after the Biden administration tightened vetting on national security flags. A backlog report shows employment-based green cards stuck at 800,000 cases, with family petitions topping 1.5 million. (uscis.gov) The GAO probe will examine USCIS data on holds placed since 2021, plus reasons for endless delays. It will check if extra vetting violates laws capping processing at 6 months for many visas. (notus.org) Families face deportation while green cards languish in holds, splitting U.S. workers from kids abroad. One tech firm owner said the limbo killed his hires, costing $500k in lost revenue. (notus.org) USCIS reports 97% of cases hit holds resolve eventually, but without status updates, families get no timeline. The agency blames FBI name checks taking 6-18 months per case. (uscis.gov) The letter demands GAO deliver a report by summer 2025 on fixes to clear the queue. It calls holds a "black box" hiding government abuse of discretion on legal immigrants. (notus.org)
