Be overlooked. Record high case backlogs and policy changes make it harder to obtain benefits. They deserve careful attention. These are profound problems that have a direct impact on countless individuals. Other entities such as hospitals. Im sure others will agree that we hear about these issues on almost a daily basis. Although they have struggle with backlogs since its creation, the Agency Reports that the current backlog in 2019 more than 2. 4 million cases. This represents the incredible 344 percent increase for the backlog of cases in 2014. It is the largest backlog since 2003 when they came to a halt in the aftermath of the 9 11 terrorist attacks. They create reallife problems for people trying to navigate our complex immigration system. Imagine a Domestic Violence survivor unable to escape her abuser because her request fo protection has language. A Startup Company abandoning the key project that will lead to substantial job creations because it is unable to get a visa for specialty engineers. Families that remain separated for much longer than necessary because of delays associated with enhanced vetting. They examine how processing delays impact everyday people. Will also explore what is causing these delays. How they plan to bring processing times down to reasonable levels. Although it is true the backlog to increase violence, and staffing issues, and other operational factors, it is clearly another driver. Implemented are substantially changing the way they are adjudicated. The administration has eradicated a number of commonsense policies that have streamlined processing. It appears that these new policies have also increased the odds. That means more delays and more web pay without good reasons. Processing delays making it more difficult than ever to qualified applicants to get immigration status. This piece need individuals from being fully productive members of our society and economy. Others may be reluctant to do things that ultimately benefit our country out of fear of interacting with the administration. I look forward to todays testimony so we can better understand the purpose and intent of recent policy changes as well as the impact. My hope is that with todays hearing, we will not only hear about these problems could be addressed, but they will also determine whether or not legislative fixes are necessary. A return to the Ranking Member for his opening statement. I think the chair. I appreciate them holding this hearing. The subcommittee has an appointed oversight responsibility. Adjudication without fall squarely within the Current Issues we should watch. I wish i had heard the same concerns and average one president obamas program resulted in long adjudication wait times for immediate relative applications among other immigration benefits. In the New York Times took notice of the increase times. The article stated that many thousands of americans have been separated from them for a euro more because of bureaucratic delays. The long which came with the Agency Services shifted attention and resources to a program he started in 2012 to give deportation deferrals to young undocumented immigrants. I do not recall any concerns raised about what the backlogs would look like when my colleagues were passing them. The bill that would have required them to process millions of green cards and naturalization applications. The volume of benefits request received various. In any given year, they administer a broad range of programs which he receives millions of benefit applications and petitions. In 2018 alone, more than 8 million immigration benefits were requested. That was actually a decrease from the number you requested during fiscal year 2007 10. Despite the huge volume of receipts, they still managed to naturalize nearly 757,000 u. S. Citizens during fiscal year 2018. More than in any of the previous five years. 2010 also saw them adjudicate more immigration benefits than ever in its history. Is to be commended for those accomplishments. To be clear, benefits to be probably adjudicated. Everyone here would agree with that. It is important they abide by the mission to throw it at request from immigration benefits. Is also important for the agency to adhere to the rest of its mission. To administer the nations lawful immigration system. While protecting americans and securing the homeland. Immigration benefits should not be delayed for nefarious purposes. Nor should they be rubberstamped. As we have seen many factors contribute to the volume of benefit requests. What kind of factors contribute to increased volume. They have led to increases in naturalization applications. Those apply for naturalization. On administrative action can increase the volume as well. The Doctoral Program has added 2. 4 million adjudications to u. S. Cis workflow. Even congress can add to the volume. When you push the increased number in the given category. Unfortunately, they seem to be inherently behind the curve given its ability is dictated by Agency Funding and funding is dependent on list inflexible roles. There is no doubt that they should remain a fee funded agency. Taxpayers should not build a burden a paid for immigration benefits for foreign nationals. I look forward to hearing from them today. Any ideas the agency has that allow flexibility to increase and decrease staff with the rise and fall of volume. With regard to recent policy changes about which the majority and some of the witnesses raise concerns, ensure the integrity of our immigration system is paramount. That should be balanced with reasonable policies and procedures. Recently they instituted a change in policy to end the practice of filing an application. This opposes an additional burden and adds to the backlog. It is also important that they have the ability to issue notices to better protect National Security and prevent fraud. I look for to the witnesses testimony to get a better understanding of the backlog and the factors contribute to. I recognize the chairman of the committee for his opening statement. Todays hearing examines a critical issue. Policy changes and processing delays. It is important to remember that immigration debate does not start and stop at the southern border. They have focused most of their attention. The Legal Immigration system is not immune from dramatic policy changes as well. Changes that are diminishing the ability to remain in the United States legally. Most of the policy changes that have been implemented appeared to be intended to make adjudications more complicated. Therefore more timeconsuming and more difficult for individuals to obtain legal status in this country. These policy changes in to fix things that were not broken to begin with. On the centigrade unnecessary obstacles to Legal Immigration. For example, last august, this only announced that it would impose harsh penalties on immigrant students who violate their status. If the violation was not intentional. It was based on the typical error. Thankfully this stepped in it this policy is a whole. Another example of the determination. Its lost any policy of waiving the primary. Most of these have been in the United States for many years. Except in cases, or is there some other issue. Backlogs are growing exponentially. Let us not forget the public charge role. They would determine whether or not a person is likely to be relying on public services. It is therefore eligible for visa green card. Basic services that the uses of their income was only rendered ineligible. There is no doubt that this makes the adjudication incident more complex. As to whether or not people working permits will need, it has now become necessary for these determination. We have increases in processing delays. Was application after one year to be process. Has said that stamping issues it appears most of them have exceeded record long averages. It does not stop the processing delays. I look forward to hearing from all witnesses about how the Agency Claims to be in processing times i thank them for their mentorship on this issue. That will is our first panel. They will be to make panels. It is the associate director of the Service CenterOperations Director of the usc areas. Holding various leadership positions throughout the years. He is the deputy associate of the u. S. Cis. Is primarily handle applications that require empress injuries. Planted them as the refugee asylum. International operations. Is the chief of the performance quality the u. S. Cis. It was in that capacity does find of the of coverage of immigration reform. Do you swear under penalty that the testimony youre about to give is true and correct to the best of your knowledge chairman and Ranking Members. Distinguish members of the subcommittee. They get to the subcommittee. I the associate director of the Administrative Service of grace. Approximately 7000 employees and contractors f5 service and. To give you an idea of the volume of our work, service and operations process approximately five allocations and particularly. That not require facetoface interviews. Applications and petitions for certain humanitarian benefits. This one 60 megawatts the emphasis is to use all without our system. We are aware of the consequences for evidence if theyre unable to meet its petition. Sharing individual stores. There are many factors the drug backlogs. Service and operations, we see one major factor. Other factors include statutory changes. The regular workload demands. Applications bugs related to the increases and staffing shortages. We should not that we expect increases. We cannot predict everything that will affect our workload. When it better manage the battle. We can adjust workloads between Service Center. We are also identifying administrative processes that can emerge from a engines desk. Rather than our nations legal system. I observed in this capacity. My career the regional offices. The National Benefit center. Occurs and feel of. In fiscal year 2010. The naturalized citizens. Fortunately, backlogs are not new. Internal and external factors have affected pending liquids along the law for the exit. Since that time, a number of factors has affected our processing times ability to meet the work of jones. Is the person other factors this it is best to apply lessons learned. Where take advantage of the resources we have. We took advantage of electronic age tourist. Ribbons betting information in person which we believe the data is showing will correctly and faster via other means. We are seeing result from this work. That in private year. We are doing more progress in the years by significant percentage. They begin to listen. What they have often struggled with the processing times, im confident we have the imagination and determination to address this latest backlog. Thank you once more for your interest in this matter. Would be happy to answer any questions you may have. We not go to the members of the subcommittee for their questions. Thank you for the i attempted to discuss political challenges we face. Chief of the officer. I served in this capacity since 2016. My creator also served as a director of the office of immigration. Our provided number primary factors we have in our permanent battle. Currently serve in the management director. Responsible for multiple supports functions. Human resources. For Performance Measurement and analysis. Specifically my office makes deathly dishes that requires staffing based on future workload projections and efficiency rates. As you can see, what i do not directly to applications, they do provide the infrastructure and the means by which our Agency Performs and measures its work. Backlogs are not new. Which is our highest backlog in 2013 due to import of increased security betting. As of may 2010 is 2. 4 million. Let me give you an example of the impact of the backlog. It has taken 10 months to process naturalizations. We know from experience it is possible through efficiencies and resources. The 2003 backlog was reduced. And the authority to use Premium Processing to hire additional staff. May reduce the backlog down to 50,000. It has ribbons risen each year since then. Most was in 2016 and 17. Grew from 634,000 of 21. 1 million. Interested 2. 3 million as of september 2017. More than 70 percent between 2010 and now occurred in those two years. The backlog has stabilized since 2017. There are many factors that contribute to changes in the backlog. Not going to discuss the most significant factors. The timeline that was all. We projected that would increase in 2016. Due to the combined impact of 2 factors. They previously had always increased before the national election. We notice the proposed fee increase is published, it motivates applicants to apply before the increases are implemented. Unlike pass election, we see this continued increase in 2017. The elevated levels were largely responsible for the growth. Receipt levels have returned to normal. It has helped us to reduce the growth of the backlog. We reached a fiveyear high in the number of persons. The girls is to continue to hire more staff. Five percent in 18. Increasing staff is an effective component to backlog reduction. Is effective but not immediate. Hiring Training Staff always takes a few years. It is a reactive process. We have to hire and train staff. That can take many months. For a six year horizon. Under this model, theyre able to proactively identify required staff. Positions are filled by the time they are needed. Such process will not only allow them to reduce the current backlog hopefully prevents anyone. I very much appreciate the time and attention you have given to us. Thank you very much. Thanks to each one of you for that useful and informative testimony. We will now go to members of the subcommittee will have questions under the fiveminute role. I would like to recognize the Ranking Member for his questions. Im going to yield. That would be fine. Thank you madam chairman. Dated the information required double back. If youre referring to the petition for citizen, i think was back in 2013. The information you have to verify. It as complexity. In addition to that, are you seeing an uptick in applications for citizenship . I did not hear how big of an uptick. We received a little bit under 1 million applications for naturalization in 2016. A little dinner million in 2017. How does that compare to 10 years ago . We average between 700 and 800,000 applications. Up to 1 million. That is correct. Roughly 25 percent increase in the number of people who are applying. That is correct. On the other side, how many applications do you actually processing or proving. In the past fiscal year, we completed 750,000 approvals. It was closer to 850,000 completions for naturalization. What would those figures say 10 years ago . I do not have them. There were lower than that. I do not have the numbers. We do have some years that were hire. Going back. The number of applications being approved higher or lower . I was in the last five years has averaged. The amount of applications have increased dramatically. Up to 25 percent. The amount of information you have to sort through his doubled. With the doubling of the forms. We are seeing a substantial increase in applications of approved naturalizations completed. Is the backlog a function of those to make issues. More information to go through . Yes i would agree with that. How long it takes us to work those cases. Yield to the Ranking Member. We now turn to the gentleman from california. Thank you madam chair. To think and witnesses for the work youre doing. Let me follow up on some of the comments made by mcauley. Hello it low after 911. The application doubled you said. Is that correct . You can understand why security issues. You doubled the amount of work you have to do for citizenship application. I would imagine that the automation since 2013 has increased. Is that correct . The processing. Yes. Productivity was in term of each individual, is that going up or down . The processing for individual. It has gone up this year from last. You have about 700 . The slides you have been authorized. How are you doing in terms of hiring . We made a focus of horrors. We have been in the high 90 percent of on board staff. A pretty good place to hire people. Thank you very much. I used to fill out applications for citizenship. One of them was for my uncle. 70 years old. He applied to be a u. S. Citizen. Victor for 50 years. I feel his application. I called the office and said we lost the application. Filled it out again. They do not know the year. The application was laws. The third, do not call. I want to see what was going on. The nice lady behind the counter cylindrical find replication. 2 hours later she came back and get a special bond for attorneys. She came back with half the application. She said we lost the other half of the application. She said im not going to make you wait another year. Here is a whole application packet. Go fill out. Three and half years later we finally made him a u. S. Citizen. I am sure we have a process system where paperwork is at a minimum. In my correct . We have an electronic way to file. I am trying to figure out. You are doing a great job given what you have in front of you. We have a lot of people that have fulfilled the requirements to be americans. For u. S. Citizens. All of this information. Listening to your testimony. Im tried to figure out what do i do to help you help those individuals that want to be americans fulfill that American Dream. The personnel for you. In the process of hiring them. We need more resources for automations. To make sure you crosscheck all of this information to make sure only the good people that deserve to be americans become americans. What else can we do to help you get your job done . In a timely manner. I spoke about the training. I think one of the things that could be helped, we would like to expand our training facility. We have money designated for that. We need authority from congress to be able to expand that. That would really help us to get people on board and trained. Ready to work. Anything else . Hiring Bor