Immigration agency announces furlough of nearly 70 percent of its workforce

Rebecca Klar on the Hill reports  that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is preparing to furlough nearly 70 percent of its workforce as the agency faces budget shortfalls.   About 13,400 of the agency’s 20,000 employees will receive notice that they will be furloughed starting August 3 if the agency does not receive additional funding from Congress, the spokesperson said in a statement. The agency is primarily funded by fees from new immigration applications, but has suspended in-person services amid the coronavirus pandemic. The spokesperson said USCIS has seen a 50 percent drop in receipts and incoming fees since March, and estimates that application and petition receipts will drop by about 61 percent through the end of fiscal year 2020.

KJ