Friends, in this video, I'm going to give you more details about the upcoming USCIS
furlough.
Specifically, I'm going to cover how long it's expected to last.
And then also I'm going to talk about CBP guys, Customs and Border Protection, because
they're also facing some money issues.
If you're interested in those topics, watch this video.
Now, before I get into it, as usual guys, thank you so much for watching.
I'm Latoya McBean-Pompy.
I'm an immigration lawyer in New York, and we work with people all over America, actually,
as well as folks in other countries.
So give our office a call if you'd really like to have us learn about your immigration
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Now let's get into it.
So I've been talking a lot about the upcoming USCIS furlough.
As you guys know, it's slated for August 3rd, 2020, and they're looking at furloughing 13,400
employees.
And I must pause and say this, that I know that USCIS employees are also watching my
videos.
And thank you guys for watching.
And I know that this furlough issue is impacting you guys in a very real and personal way as
well.
So I just want to acknowledge that.
And I just want to also say that many of you have nothing at all to do with these policy
decisions that are coming down from the Trump Administration that are directly impacting
you as well as impacting everyone else, my clients and others who watch these videos.
So I just want to mention that because everyone from all different angles are being hit by
these issues, specifically the upcoming furlough.
Now, with that being said, we know that USCIS went to Congress and asked for 1.2 billion
in bailout money.
And Congress has said, "Let's consider this, nothing has happened yet with respect to this,"
but USCIS is hoping that the bailout dollars will be added to the next stimulus package,
which is under negotiations, which you've heard me talk about as well.
They're slated to vote on something hopefully by the end of July.
So USCIS is hoping that their money will be put into that as well.
But with respect to the furlough, how long is it going to last?
How long is it expected to last?
Well, USCIS told its employees that they're expecting it to last between 30 and 90 days.
They say, "First of all, that this is a temporary action, not a permanent separation from service.
And then at this time we do not reasonably anticipate the need for a furlough of 90 days
or more.
However, should additional furlough days be necessary, you will be issued another notice."
So they're saying that between 30 to 90 days, and they don't expect it to last more than
90 days, but if it does, they will have to issue another notice.
Now just so you know, the administration is definitely obviously behind this bailout request
to Congress.
And in fact, the acting director for the office of money...
The Office of Management and Budget, there is no office of money in DC yet that I'm aware
of.
But it's the Office of Management and Budget, OMB has sent a letter on June 19th to the
chairman of the committee on appropriations on the Senate side, and he mentioned here
that, "USCIS proposes a cost recovery surcharge approach that would recoup all funding needed
to sustain near term operations."
So again, OMB is saying that, "Listen, we're going to pay the taxpayer back by charging
those who are applying for immigration benefits.
We're going to tag on a surcharge, so you will get your money back."
So the White House, the administration, they're fully behind this bailout request to Congress.
Now what about Customs and Border Protection, CBP?
They're also facing some money issues, but not a furlough issue.
They are not at the stage where they're looking to furlough employees like USCIS.
Their situation is bad, but not as bad.
So according to this article, "CBP, specifically the Office of Field Operations, that's OFO,
they rely on customs and immigration user fees to fund 40% of its budget and 8,000 of
its field officer positions.
However, they may face a budget shortfall of 400 million through the end of the fiscal
year, says the National Treasury Employees Union."
So they're facing a huge shortfall as well, but what they want to do, they want to put
this money in next year's budget, the 2021 appropriations.
So they're looking for at least $1.5 billion to go into fiscal year 2021 appropriations
to cover the projected shortfall that they're going to experience.
And so they want this money to be in their budget because they don't want to have to
find themselves in a position that like USCIS and have to furlough their people.
The article then goes on to say, "CBP collects immigration inspection fees to cover the cost
of processing certain land, sea, air, and rail shipments and carriers.
Trade and travel volume is down during the pandemic, lead into the multimillion dollar
partial funding shortfall."
So just to recap, USCIS is expecting their furlough to last between 30 to 90 days.
And then Customs and Border Protection is also experiencing some money problems, but
they're not looking at any furlough right now.
They're just looking to get more money added to next year's budget so that they would not
have to furlough their people next year.
So guys, that's the latest.
Stay plugged in as I do more videos about the stimulus talks, because those stimulus
talks do impact immigration.
All right?
So guys, thanks so much for watching this video.
Be sure to share it with other people and I will see you in the next one.
Bye-bye.