The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has seen a significant decline in staffing levels for Afghan refugee applications over the past five years. In 2017, there were 352 officers dedicated to processing Afghan refugee applications.
According to the SIGAR Report “#USCIS, which processes Afghan refugee applications, said staffing levels fell from 352 to 189 between 2017-2021. By the end of FY2022, staffing increased to 304 officers, leaving 24% of authorized positions unfilled”
By 2021, that number had fallen to 189. By the end of fiscal year 2022, staffing levels had increased to 304 officers, but 24% of authorized positions remained unfilled.
The decline in staffing levels has had a significant impact on the processing of Afghan refugee applications. In 2017, the average processing time for an Afghan refugee application was 12 months. By 2021, the average processing time had increased to 24 months.
The decline in staffing levels is due to a number of factors, including budget cuts and a lack of qualified applicants. In 2017, the Trump administration made significant cuts to the USCIS budget. These cuts led to layoffs and hiring freezes, which further reduced the number of officers available to process Afghan refugee applications.
In addition, the USCIS has struggled to attract qualified applicants to work on Afghan refugee applications. The work is challenging and demanding, and the salaries are not competitive. As a result, many qualified applicants have chosen to work in other areas of the USCIS or in other government agencies.
The decline in staffing levels and the long processing times have created significant challenges for Afghan refugees who are seeking to come to the United States. Many Afghan refugees have been waiting years for their applications to be processed, and some have given up hope of ever being able to come to the United States.
The Biden administration has taken some steps to address the staffing shortages at USCIS. In January 2023, the administration announced that it would be hiring 2,000 new officers to process Afghan refugee applications. However, it is unclear how long it will take to fill these positions, and it is possible that the staffing shortages will continue for some time.
The decline in staffing levels at USCIS is a serious problem that has had a significant impact on the processing of Afghan refugee applications. The Biden administration needs to take additional steps to address the staffing shortages, and it needs to do so quickly. Otherwise, the long processing times will continue to create significant challenges for Afghan refugees who are seeking to come to the United States.
USCIS Staffing Levels for Afghan Refugee Applications Fall
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has seen a significant decline in staffing levels for Afghan refugee applications over the past five years. In 2017, there were 352 officers dedicated to processing Afghan refugee applications. By 2021, that number had fallen to 189. By the end of fiscal year 2022, staffing levels had increased to 304 officers, but 24% of authorized positions remained unfilled.
The decline in staffing levels has had a significant impact on the processing of Afghan refugee applications. In 2017, the average processing time for an Afghan refugee application was 12 months. By 2021, the average processing time had increased to 24 months.
The decline in staffing levels is due to a number of factors, including budget cuts and a lack of qualified applicants. In 2017, the Trump administration made significant cuts to the USCIS budget. These cuts led to layoffs and hiring freezes, which further reduced the number of officers available to process Afghan refugee applications.
In addition, the USCIS has struggled to attract qualified applicants to work on Afghan refugee applications. The work is challenging and demanding, and the salaries are not competitive. As a result, many qualified applicants have chosen to work in other areas of the USCIS or in other government agencies.
The decline in staffing levels and the long processing times have created significant challenges for Afghan refugees who are seeking to come to the United States. Many Afghan refugees have been waiting years for their applications to be processed, and some have given up hope of ever being able to come to the United States.
The Biden administration has taken some steps to address the staffing shortages at USCIS. In January 2023, the administration announced that it would be hiring 2,000 new officers to process Afghan refugee applications. However, it is unclear how long it will take to fill these positions, and it is possible that the staffing shortages will continue for some time.
The decline in staffing levels at USCIS is a serious problem that has had a significant impact on the processing of Afghan refugee applications. The Biden administration needs to take additional steps to address the staffing shortages, and it needs to do so quickly. Otherwise, the long processing times will continue to create significant challenges for Afghan refugees who are seeking to come to the United States.
