Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today called on the Secretary of Homeland Security to address significant delays in the processing of citizenship applications by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Senator Clinton urged quick action to clear up the growing backlog of applications and criticized the excessive fee increases being imposed on applicants. She also asked for a timeline indicating when these problems will be resolved.

“These are applicants who have played by the rules and waited patiently for their chance to share in the American Dream. They deserve prompt and fair action on their applications,” Senator Clinton said.

In the past, citizenship applications have taken typically about seven months to process. Immigration officials are now taking upwards of five months to simply acknowledge receipt of an application and can take 16 to 18 months on average to process applications filed after June 1, 2007.

A copy of Senator Clinton’s letter follows:

November 28, 2007

The Honorable Michael Chertoff
Secretary
United States Department of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I have been following with deep concern the news about the significant delays in the processing of citizenship applications by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”). As has been reported, a citizenship application has taken typically about seven months to process. However, foreseeable and preventable processing delays have meant that immigration officials are now taking upwards of five months to simply acknowledge receipt of an application and can take 16 to 18 months on average to process applications filed after June 1, 2007. These delays are unacceptable. When considered in concert with the recent and significant escalation of citizenship application fees, this failure demonstrates a complete breakdown at USCIS. I urge you to devote all the necessary resources at your disposal to the prompt and efficient processing of these applications and I ask you to again reconsider the burdensome fee increases being imposed on applicants.

The majority of these applicants have navigated the citizenship application process for years, with many having waited a lifetime to become citizens of this, their adopted country. They have played by the rules in their pursuit of the American Dream. Their commitment to becoming U.S. citizens reaffirms the strength of our democracy and reinforces our heritage as a nation of immigrants. We should be promoting citizenship and removing needless obstacles that prevent those who are qualified and eager to become American citizens from reaching their goal.

These prospective citizens should not be prejudiced because the Department of Homeland Security failed to plan appropriately. Their applications must be processed without either undue delay or the imposition of excessive or prohibitive fees. For that reason, I eagerly await word of what steps DHS and USCIS intend to take to fix this situation and I ask that you provide me with a timeline indicating when these problems will be resolved. 

Sincerely yours,
Hillary Rodham Clinton