Help Obtaining US Citizenship
As the U.S. emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, a new focus is being placed on the immigration system. The pandemic caused additional pressure on the already backlogged system. However, for those who want to pursue citizenship, new data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reveals the government is finally beginning to catch up with naturalization applications. The Brooklyn immigration lawyers at Pozo Goldstein help people who are interested in obtaining citizenship and are prepared to assist you with the naturalization process.
Large Number of People Became Citizens in 2022
According to the USCIS, almost one million people became naturalized U.S. citizens in 2022. This was the highest number of new citizens through the naturalization process in 15 years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a large backlog of people waiting to become naturalized. The countries of origin with the largest numbers of naturalized U.S. citizens in 2022 included Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, India, and the Philippines.
Impact of the Pandemic
At the beginning of the pandemic, the USCIS suspended citizenship interviews and naturalization ceremonies. This created a backlog of applications for naturalization that were subsequently approved in 2022. As of June 2022, there was a remaining backlog of 673,000 pending applications for naturalization.
The pandemic caused the USCIS to undergo substantial financial issues since the agency’s funding largely depends on application fees. The agency was forced to close field offices as its workforce capacity was reduced. Between May 2020 and April 2021, there was also a hiring freeze that resulted in a shortage of immigration officials who oversee the naturalization process.
Since President Joseph R. Biden was elected, the USCIS has stated that its finances have rebounded. The agency states that its cash reserves are growing to their target levels so that the agency can avoid further financial problems. In 2022, both the U.S. Department of State and the USCIS issued two times the number of employment-based visas as they did before the pandemic. The agencies state that they worked to issue more employment-based immigrant visas in 2022 since any visas that remained unused by the fiscal year’s end would have become unavailable beginning on Oct. 1, 2022.
Other Immigration Issues Remain
While the recent data about naturalization and obtaining citizenship is good news, other areas of immigration policy remain problematic. Title 42, a Trump-era pandemic rule that allowed the government to expel asylum seekers and migrants who entered at the southern border, was scheduled to end. However, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked the termination of the policy by the Biden administration.
A second Trump policy called “remain in Mexico” forced asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while they awaited their immigration court dates. This policy forced asylum seekers to face some of the same types of dangers that many fled, including rape and abduction. The Biden administration narrowly won approval from the U.S. Supreme Court to end the “remain in Mexico” policy in June 2022. However, a federal court judge in Texas subsequently ruled that the policy must be restarted. Currently, the “remain in Mexico” policy is still in place while lawsuits are pending.
A third major immigration policy, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), is still facing challenges. This Obama administration policy prevents immigration authorities from deporting immigrants who were brought into the country as children. As challenges to DACA continue to wend their way through the federal court system, hundreds of thousands of Dreamers have been left in limbo. Both Biden and some lawmakers have been working to try to secure a permanent solution for Dreamers to allow them a process for obtaining citizenship. While the eligibility requirements have not been changed, the USCIS can’t accept any new first-time applicants because of pending litigation that might end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Talk to a Brooklyn Immigration Lawyer for Help Obtaining US Citizenship
If you are a lawful permanent resident who is interested in obtaining US citizenship, you should speak to the experienced team of immigration attorneys at Pozo Goldstein. Our dedicated legal team includes a former judge and former immigration prosecutors, and we can help you understand your options. Call us today to schedule an appointment at (212) 201-9031.
