Chronic Backlogs Targeted in New Set of Immigration Measures (1)

New premium processing options for immigration benefits will be added in a Department of Homeland Security rule expected to be published Wednesday as part of a broader set of agency initiatives to tackle daunting backlogs in the country’s legal immigration system.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the DHS unit that adjudicates benefits including green cards and work authorization documents, is also setting new internal targets for reducing those backlogs, according to a press statement issued Tuesday.

The agency’s additionally preparing to issue regulations that will lengthen automatic extensions of work eligibility for applicants seeking to renew those forms if they’re ...