Hey, USCIS, Do Your Job!

According to the on-line news source for Federal Employees “Government Executive,” USCIS intends to go forward with its planned furloughs of employees in August, even though there has been an increase in revenue from fees that ensures it can pay its bills through September.

Patrick Leahy, Senator from Vermont and Vice Chair of the Committee on Appropriations, along with Senator Jon Testor, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, continue their push to avoid the furloughs through a letter to DHS and USCIS framing the political issues.

The Democrats have a tough choice: either fund $1.2 billion of programs that they may not agree with, like sending federal law enforcement personnel to Portland, Oregon, or allow the Trump administration to strangle the entire immigration system. This is budget gamesmanship, certainly. But EB5 applicants with petitions in process have already paid for services that now seem so much more remote. Frustratingly, there is nothing service providers like Pazan Consulting or lawyers can do about this. USCIS doesn’t just practice bad governance. It’s bad business.