Processing Backlog for Immigration Benefits Continues to Grow

The immigration benefits-processing backlog surpassed 8 million forms at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, according to data released by the agency for the fourth quarter of 2021.

That number included nearly 1.5 million pending employment authorization documents, according to the data released this week.

The backlogs, which began rising during the Covid-19 pandemic, have frustrated applicants, sparked litigation, and undermined pledges by the Biden administration to improve efficiency processing benefits at USCIS.

“It’s concerning. It was very understandable that the backlog increased during the depths of the pandemic when offices shutdown,” said Julia Gelatt, a senior policy analyst at the ...