Van Hollen, Cardin Release Statements on USCIS Furlough Postponement

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) released the following statements in response to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) decision to postpone their previously announced employee furloughs. In early July, the Senators wrote a letter to USCIS urging the Agency to reconsider the planned furloughs and to eliminate the harmful policies that have undermined its budget, threatened employees’ livelihoods, and hurt U.S. immigration services at large.

“Many of the employees at USCIS play a vital role in assisting those who seek to live and work in the United States, but this Administration has instituted policies that have not only caused serious funding issues for the Agency but have also undermined its mission and goals. Today’s announcement will bring relief to many of our constituents, and I’m glad that the Administration has postponed its ill-advised and unnecessary furlough plan. In order to protect these jobs in the long-term, I urge USCIS to rescind its harmful policies and work with Congress to improve its fiscal footing,” said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen.

“The day-to-day mission of the USCIS is too important for mass furloughs to replace prudent planning and collaboration with Congress on the agency’s challenges,” said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin. “I am encouraged by the USCIS decision to postpone the furloughs it had previously announced and look forward to working with its leaders to establish a viable, long-range strategy to ensure stability for the agency and its workers alike.”