USCIS Furlough Delayed to August 31

July 27, 2020 

On July 24, 2020, Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy announced that the USCIS has agreed to postpone the agency furlough from August 3 to August 31.  Senator Leahy is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and he “pressed the organization to reverse course on its intended furloughs after he made public the fact that new revenue estimates showed the agency ending the fiscal year in a surplus, and not the previously projected $571 million deficit. USCIS Deputy Director of Policy Joseph Edlow gave the assurances to Leahy that the furloughs would be delayed on Friday morning by phone,” according to the press release.  

Despite this reprieve, the USCIS may still furlough employees if they are not able to meet all their financial obligations as they begin their new fiscal year on October 1. The USCIS is already experiencing significant delays in EAD and green card processing, as we previously reported.  

Weaver Schlenger will monitor developments in this area and continue to provide updates on our website.