AFGE Council 119 Statement Regarding House Bill Passed to Stop USCIS Furloughs

Washington, D.C. –– Statement from the AFGE National Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Council 119 on the House’s unanimous passing of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act:

“We applaud the House of Representatives for unanimously passing H.R. 8089, the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act. Though this is not a full solution to the agency’s challenges, it is a bipartisan one. This bill is a great starting point to protect 13,400 workers and keep our legal immigration system up and running.

Though this bill doesn’t provide the $1.2 billion needed to permanently address the crisis, it will act as a short-term solution to save these workers and the agency. The August 30 furlough deadline is less than a week away. With clear support from both sides of the aisle to keep the agency fully operational and prevent the furloughs, we urge the Senate to get back to Washington, D.C. and halt the USCIS furloughs.”

AFGE USCIS Council 119 recently launched a campaign calling on emergency Congressional funding for USCIS, called Americans Agree. A petition from the national AFGE has garnered over 16,500 signatures so far.

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About AFGE USCIS Council 119 

The American Federation of Government Employees USCIS Council 119 represents more than 13,400 experts and employees from across the nation who together serve the American public by operating the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which provides services to American businesses, the military, and non-governmental organizations pursuing legal immigration solutions for their workforces, while also supporting refugees and asylum seekers from across the world.

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