Moulton Leads Letter Demanding Answers on the Backlog at USCIS

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06) is leading 18 Democratic lawmakers in demanding answers from Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Joseph B. Edlow regarding the unprecedented backlog and "frontlog" of applications currently paralyzing the U.S. legal immigration system.

In a letter, the lawmakers expressed serious concern that despite increased fee revenue and supplemental funding from Congress, USCIS performance has deteriorated significantly. Since January 2025, the backlog has jumped by nearly 2 million applications, bringing the total to nearly 12 million pending cases.

The lawmakers are requesting answers to the following questions: 

• If fee revenue has increased while processing times and backlogs have worsened, how does USCIS explain this discrepancy?
• What percentage of total fee revenue is currently dedicated to adjudications versus non-adjudicative functions?
• Since January 2025, have any USCIS funds, personnel, or contracts been redirected to support enforcement-related activities or other DHS priorities outside the agency's core adjudications mission? If so, please describe in detail.
• What policy or procedural changes implemented since January 2025 have impacted adjudication timelines?

Read the full letter here. 

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