Immigration agency that issues visas, green cards struggles to stay afloat

A precipitous drop in applications for green cards, citizenship and other programs has threatened the solvency of the federal agency that administers the country’s lawful immigration system, prompting it to seek a $1.2 billion cash infusion from Congress as well as fee hikes to stay afloat.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which relies on the fees that it charges applicants to fund its operations, said that it could run out of money by the summer because the coronavirus pandemic had resulted in far fewer people applying for visas and other benefits.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, USCIS has seen a dramatic decrease in revenue,” said a spokesman for the agency, noting that its receipts could plummet by more than 60% by the close of the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

Without the $1.2 billion injection from Congress, the agency, he said, would be unable to fund its operations in a matter of months. The agency plans to impose a 10% “surcharge” on applications, on top of previously proposed increases, that it is expecting to implement in the coming months ...

CAIRCO Research

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