Global Migration Digest: Weekly Highlights and Updates

HI INDA NEWS DESK

(1) USCIS to Expand myProgress Tool for Family-Based Green Card Processing Times

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has unveiled plans to broaden the scope of its personalized processing times tool, myProgress, to include family-based green card applicants.

myProgress will now offer applicants personalized estimates for various stages of the application process, providing insights into wait times for critical steps, ultimately leading to their final case decision.

(2) Surge in Border Crossings and Asylum Claims at U.S.-Canada Border

Despite hazardous conditions and freezing temperatures during winter, there has been a notable increase in the number of individuals attempting to cross the U.S.-Canada border over the past year.

Recent data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reveals 189,402 encounters at the northern border in 2023, encompassing both illegal crossings and arrivals at legal ports of entry.

(3) Immigration Reform Urged as Work Permit Backlog Sparks Tensions

A significant backlog in work permit processing has heightened tensions between newly-arrived migrants and long-standing applicants stuck in immigration limbo.

Some recent asylum-seekers have received work permits ahead of individuals languishing in the backlog for years, reigniting calls for comprehensive reform to address the challenges within the immigration system.

(4) October Sees 14% Increase in Green Card Backlog

The Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) witnessed a 14% surge in the immigrant visa (IV) backlog from September to October.

Cases ready for scheduling green card interviews grew by 13%, and there was a slight uptick in the number of individuals scheduled for green card interviews, reflecting a broader increase in the overall backlog for green card applicants.