Delays in Processing I-817 Family Unity Applications

The Immigrant Legal Resource Center, the American Immigration Law Foundation, and the National Immigration Law Center are concerned about the INS's failure to process I-817 applications for Family Unity benefits. For example, according to its February 2000 processing times report, the INS's California Service Center is currently "working on" initial I-817s filed on April 11, 1997 and I-817 extensions filed on July 1, 1997. We have reason to believe the CSC has not been processing these applications at all for months, perhaps years.

We would like to hear from practitioners assisting Family Unity applicants who have suffered because of the INS's failure to process their I-817 applications (renewals or initial applications). Harms may include, but are not limited to, loss of employment (current or new) due to lack of employment authorization document, inability to attend school or travel abroad, ineligibility for in-state tuition, and/or threatened or actual deportation due to lack of voluntary departure.

If your clients have suffered any concrete injuries because of INS's delay or failure to process I-817 Family Unity applications, please [click here] for the attached form, complete and send to:

Mark Silverman at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center
mark@ilrc.org or fax (415) 255-9792.

Because we are concerned with INS's failure to process I-817s rather than any substantive issues, we request that the responses be limited to cases in which the applicants are clearly eligible for Family Unity.