In the midst of the southern border crisis, ongoing aid to Ukraine and Israel, and the impeachment proceedings against DHS head Alejandro Mayorkas, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released its 2023 fiscal year results.
Key Highlights:
- Record-High Case Processing: USCIS processed a historic 10 million transactions, a 15% increase from 2022 and 30% from 2021.
- Backlog Reduction: For the first time in a decade, case processing backlogs have decreased, with average wait times reduced by 20%.
- Online Services Expansion: USCIS launched a new online interview scheduling system and improved existing platforms.
- Humanitarian Efforts: Over 350,000 asylum applications were processed, and 250,000 work permits were provided to eligible individuals.
Other Notable Figures:
- 100,000 asylum interviews conducted
- Over 1 million naturalization applications approved (a 15-year record)
- 11 million requests received by USCIS
- 5 million calls to the Immigration Service
Reality Check:
While USCIS reports impressive numbers, the reality of the situation raises questions. The number of individuals seeking entry to the U.S. has nearly doubled in the past year, and the ongoing border crisis suggests potential discrepancies between the reported data and the actual challenges faced.
