Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · 3h

USCIS Q3 data dropped today and woof, it's not pretty. Total pending cases at a new record high of 11.5m, net backlog increased from 4.9m to 5.4m cases, and "frontlog" bizarrely increased to 60K cases.

A lot of red flags in this data.

www.uscis.gov/tools/report...

Immigration and Citizenship Data

These reports provide data on various aspects of USCIS operations. In addition, certain tables list the USCIS office responsible for the adjudication.

www.uscis.gov

2 27 95

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · 1d

There was a similar thread months ago and I even pointed to the DHS AI use case website to show, "nope!"

But alas, we just keep shouting into the void.

1

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · 3d

If there are any immigration reporters out there who'd like to talk anything USCIS, please feel free to DM me. @tanvi.bsky.social, @crampell.bsky.social, @mhackman.bsky.social, @kreighbaum.bsky.social, @micarosenberg.bsky.social @tedhesson.bsky.social @haleaziz.bsky.social

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · 3d

There are a lot of great immigration voices out there, especially on policy and with high-level operational experience. I plan to try and post more here with a focus specifically on USCIS from a front-line perspective.

2/2

1 3

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · 3d

Welp. First day as a former USCIS employee and it's a bit surreal. Very grateful to my former colleagues at the agency, other immigration attorneys, and trusting new clients, who have been supportive of my return to private practice. It's certainly an adjustment!

1/2

1 2

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · 15d

Thanks Aaron!

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · 15d

Thanks! That's the one thing I hoped people would take away if nothing else (thinking of @tanvi.bsky.social's "boner fides" piece specifically for I-130s, lol).

Hope you are doing as well as can be expected with everything!

1

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Sep 6

New USCIS policy memo on public charge guidance seems to be teeing up officers to more closely scrutinize this in adjudication. Coupled with the recent updates on discretionary benefit analysis, AOS could be getting a whole lot more subjective:

www.uscis.gov/sites/defaul...

www.uscis.gov

1

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Sep 4

Confirmation on the rumors of FDNS getting LEO powers.

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · Sep 4

Exclusive: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is forming its own police force, as President Trump’s immigration crackdown widens beyond traditional law-enforcement agencies.

Exclusive | Agency That Issues Visas and Green Cards Is Hiring Armed Agents

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agents will now be allowed to arrest people for immigration violations.

on.wsj.com

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 27

Andrew Good from NumbersUSA is now the new OP&S chief at USCIS.

www.uscis.gov/about-us/org...

Leadership | USCIS

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Leadership

www.uscis.gov

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 21

USCIS now says it's issued 86,500 NTAs so far under Trump.

www.breitbart.com/politics/202...

Exclusive: 86,000 Illegals Placed in Deportation Process Since Trump Took Office

USCIS has initiated deportation proceedings of tens of thousands of illegal aliens who had previously been left in legal limbo.

www.breitbart.com

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 20

It sucked at first at USCIS, but it ended up happening all the time no matter the admin, so you just eventually get numb to it.

1

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 19

They expanded the discretionary analysis to EADs in 2020, but it was thankfully never operationalized, in large part to good people in the agency. Different times now...

1

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 19

On the heels of the recent GMC naturalization policy manual update, this expansion of discretion for officers looking at "un-american" actions in the AOS world is another worrying development:

www.uscis.gov/sites/defaul...

www.uscis.gov

1

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 16

This is pretty fucked tbh.

Taking into account "habitual traffic infractions" or "aggressive solicition" for good moral character is nuts.

If nothing else, the extra time officers have to spend on this will balloon processing times.

www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-a...

Trump administration to more heavily scrutinize "good moral character" requirement for U.S. citizenship

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services instructed officers on Friday to consider additional factors when determining whether immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship have a "good moral character."

www.cbsnews.com

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 13

Anytime someone says USCIS has a get-to-yes culture, I laugh.

“I’m not looking for a ‘get to yes.’ I’m not necessarily looking for a ‘get to no,'” Edlow said. “I’m looking to get to the right answer based on the facts that are available.”

www.breitbart.com/politics/202...

Joseph Edlow: Biden's Priority Was Illegals, Legal Migration Is 'Utter Mess'

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow says Biden prioritized illegals so much that the nation's legal immigration system was left an "utter mess."

www.breitbart.com

Reposted by Mike Watkins

Marc Watkins @marcwatkins.bsky.social · Aug 10

Another semester approaches and faculty face a super charged version of ChatGPT. I want to talk about value and meaning with my students, not necessarily AI. Here are some ideas to do just that. I also have a session submitted to SXSW Edu about AI aware teaching that I’d love for you to vote for. 👇

1 3 8

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 5

Another American family torn apart for no good reason except this administration hates the very idea of humanitarian parole.

www.kcur.org/politics-ele...

Former Irish Republican Army soldier in Missouri self deports, afraid he’ll die in an ICE cell

The Clinton administration once used Matthew Morrison’s U.S. immigration case to help solidify peace in Northern Ireland. Decades after moving to St. Louis to find safety and build a family, Morrison ...

www.kcur.org

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 3

Oof, sorry to hear. Impressive run though!

1

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 2

And him saying "the crisis at the southern border led directly the backlogs we are seeing now" is nonsensical of course. USCIS had actually started to reduce backlogs under Biden, backlogs that largely grew as a result of Trump's poor financial management of the agency (which Edlow was part of):

2

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Aug 2

Edlow calling backlogs a national security threat is...interesting? That would seem to me clearing all backlogs (esp humanitarian forms) would be a priority, so we'll see, but of course I'm highly skeptical they will make any meaningful progress on any backlog.

www.foxnews.com/politics/top...

Top DHS official calls citizenship test 'too soft,' urges major overhaul of naturalization process

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow announces sweeping immigration policy changes, including tougher naturalization tests and stricter oversight of H-1B visa program.

www.foxnews.com

1

Reposted by Mike Watkins

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Jul 31

Palestinian children have been killed at a rate of more than one child per hour during Israel's war in Gaza.

“A whole classroom of children killed every day for nearly two years,” UNICEF’s executive director said.

Here are some of their stories: wapo.st/3UCiAjn

120 1.5K 2K

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Jul 30

A really good visualization of the slowdown in EAD approvals through June from @brookings.edu

www.brookings.edu/articles/tra...

Mike Watkins @watkinsimmigration.bsky.social · Jul 29

Checking in on USCIS morale at the start of the Joe Edlow era:

Reposted by Mike Watkins

CajunBlueAZ ⚜️🇺🇸 🇺🇦 @cajunblue.bsky.social · Jul 25

🚨 This woman tries to call the family of the man being disappeared and ICE will not allow her to get a phone number. One of the “undercover” mobsters nearly backed into her.

900 3.9K 10K