Ombudsman’s Office to Host March 28th Listening Session on EAD Delays

Since 2018, the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman has seen an increase in requests for assistance with cases related to delayed adjudications of employment authorization documents (EADs). In order to gather more information on how these delays are impacting U.S. employers and applicants, the Ombudsman’s Office will be hosting a listening session on the EAD processing delays. This conference will be held March 28, 2019, 2pm to 3pm, EDT. Details on how to register for the teleconference are available through the Ombudsman Office announcement.

Background on Ombudsman’s Office

The Ombudsman’s office is responsible for identifying areas that require improvement and/or action within the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and presenting these findings to Congress in an annual report. In certain situations, the Ombudsman’s office may also intervene, often as an avenue of last resort, on behalf of individuals and employers who are experiencing difficulties with the USCIS.

Conclusion

Delays in processing EAD applications is hardly a new phenomenon. Even before the latest increase in complaints regarding EAD application delays, one would have assumed that the USCIS and the Ombudsman’s Office would be aware of the tremendous problems created for employers and foreign nationals who depend on EADs for work authorization and the U.S. employers that require their services. Perhaps this listening session will drive the point home, but it is hard to be optimistic, given how firmly entrenched this problem seems to be.

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