Auditors doubt immigration agency will meet goal for eliminating backlog

The Citizenship and Immigration Services bureau will have a tough time meeting its goal of eliminating a backlog of applications for immigration benefits by the fall of 2006, according to government auditors.

The agency has made significant progress in tackling its staggering caseload but does not appear to be on track to process all old applications by the close of fiscal 2006-a goal set nearly four years ago-the Government Accountability Office stated in a report (GAO-06-20) issued this week.

As of June 2005, CIS estimated that it had 1.2 million cases in its backlog, down from a peak of 3.8 million in January 2004. But nearly three-quarters involve applications for naturalization or lawful permanent resident status, and those will be the most difficult to close, GAO reported.

CIS is counting on a new information technology system to more efficiently manage its caseload. The agency plans to spend $1.4 billion on the system, but will not begin to deploy it until late 2006 and does not expect to have it finished until 2010, GAO said.

In the absence of the new system, CIS has been tackling its backlog mainly by increasing the staff hours devoted to processing applications. Between fiscal 2002 and fiscal 2005, the agency spent 69 percent of funds earmarked for eliminating backlogged cases on temporary staff and overtime. Only 2 percent of funds were spent on information technology planning.

The report stated that CIS does not have an effective system for tracking the exact number of backlogged cases, which means the number could be much higher than the agency knows.

The huge backlog was transferred to CIS in 2003 when the former Immigration and Naturalization Service was disbanded. CIS became part of the new Homeland Security Department.

In the 2000 Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements Act, Congress required INS to develop a plan to eliminate the backlog of applications. Under the act, any application that has been pending for more than six months is considered part of the backlog.

In early 2002, INS published a plan to eliminate the backlog by the end of fiscal 2006. CIS reaffirmed that goal in 2004.

DHS officials agreed with the conclusions of the GAO report, and said they remain committed to meeting the established goal.

"We agree with GAO's conclusion that [CIS] faces challenges in meeting its [fiscal] 2006 goals for eliminating the backlog in its naturalization and adjustment of status workloads," the department said in a written response to the report. "We remain optimistic, however, that, with dedicated effort, careful planning and strong leadership, these goals are still attainable."

"To ensure that [CIS] will not incur any additional backlogs in future years, [CIS] is developing a case management system for deployment in October 2006," the department added. "The vision is for all cases received after September 30, 2006, to be entered, tracked and managed through the new system."

CIS officials also noted that their ability to eliminate backlogged cases could be further compromised if new legislation -- such as a guest worker program -- increases their responsibilities without providing sufficient resources. DHS plans to implement a guest worker program some time in 2006.