Papillon Restaurant Wednesday May 26, 2021 T: 582-7800 www.arubatoday.com facebook.com/arubatoday instagram.com/arubatoday Page 9 Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper Citizenship agency eyes improved service without plan to pay By ELLIOT SPAGAT and SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — Less than a year after being on the verge of furloughing CITIZEN about 70% of employees to plug a funding short- fall, the U.S. agency that grants citizenship wants to improve service without a STRAIN detailed plan to pay for it, including waivers for those who can’t afford fees, ac- cording to a proposal ob- tained by The Associated Press. The Homeland Security Department sent its 14- page plan to enhance procedures for becoming a naturalized citizen to the White House for approval on April 21. Continued on Page 2 This June 5, 2015, file photo, shows a view of the Homeland Security Department headquarters in Washington. Associated Press A2 WEDNESDAY 26 MAY 2021 UP FRONT Citizenship agency eyes improved service without plan to pay Judiciary Committee, was among those with ques- tions. Jaddou, who served as the agency’s chief coun- sel under President Barack Obama, said in October that the agency needed a financial audit. She ques- tioned some Trump admin- istration changes, includ- ing justification for a major expansion of an anti-fraud unit, since abandoned by Biden. “It really is a bunch of bu- reaucratic red tape,” she said when discussing agen- cy financial woes. Fees were set to increase by an average of 20% last In this Monday, Aug. 26, 2019, file photo, people raise their hands as they take the oath of allegiance on their way to becoming October but a federal new United States citizens before a baseball game in San Diego. judge blocked them. The Associated Press wait to process a citizen- ship application grew to Continued from Front registration and former the proposal, U.S. Citizen- agency workers, said video more than a year by the President Donald Trump’s ship and Immigration Ser- would benefit employees end of Trump’s presidency It involves U.S. Citizenship repeated unsubstantiated vices said it’s reviewing pol- who’ve been working from from less than eight months and Immigration Services, claims that millions of peo- icies and practices. home, but administering four years earlier. which is part of Homeland ple voted illegally in 2016. “Under the Biden Admin- the oath, a once-in-a-life- “By having your own bud- Security and operates en- Last year, Illinois’ automatic istration, the agency has time experience, should be get, you can be very nim- tirely on fees. voter registration program made considerable strides left to judges. ble,” he said. “Losing your The plan describes chang- mistakenly registered hun- in reallocating our resourc- Questions about how the budget leaves you at the es that reflect “a realistic dreds of people who said es and priorities to fulfill this agency would fund the whim of Congress and all of assessment of our aspira- they weren’t U.S. citizens. mission and address chal- changes made her uneasy, a sudden immigration gets tions and limitations,” in- At least one voted. lenges like the ones caused saying employee morale politicized.” cluding more video instead The agency will improve by the COVID-19 pandem- remains low since last sum- One potential avenue of in-person applicant inter- the citizenship process to ic,” spokesman Joe Sowers mer’s near financial catas- for boosting revenue is views, authorizing employ- “encourage full participa- said in a statement Tues- trophe. expanding the use of so- ees to administer citizenship tion in our civic life and de- day. “Ultimately, USCIS is That’s when the agency called “premium process- oaths versus relying on fed- mocracy” and to deliver committed to administer- threatened more than ing.” For a hefty fee, it al- eral judges, and promoting services effectively and ef- ing our nation’s legal im- 13,000 furloughs to tackle lows limited applicants a online filing to reduce pro- ficiently, according to the migration system in a way a projected $1.26 billion 15-day turnaround on some cessing times. document. that empowers immigrants shortfall. But a few tense paperwork. Under emer- Homeland Security says It doesn’t provide cost es- to pursue citizenship and months later, it said it didn’t gency legislation in Oc- it can be done without timates for the proposed the privileges that accom- need the money after all tober, the agency raised the approval of Congress, changes, though there are pany it.” and would end the year it from $1,440 to $2,500 where consensus on immi- options on the table and Immigration attorneys with a surplus. Agency and allowed revenues to gration has proven elusive. some measures appear called the proposed leaders said application be used for operating ex- Taken together, the chang- designed to save money changes a welcomed shift fees rebounded more than penses. USCIS appears on es mark a complete break and achieve efficiencies. after the Trump administra- expected as offices re- board, allowing the expe- from the Trump administra- It also acknowledges suc- tion. opened from coronavirus dited option in February to tion, when the agency fo- cess depends on long-term Sharvari Dalal-Dheini, direc- shutdowns and contracts some Australian nationals. cused on combatting fraud financial stability, which in- tor of government relations were reviewed for cost sav- Broadening it to more eli- and adjusted to shrinking cludes asking Congress for for the American Immigra- ings. gible forms could generate immigration benefits. money. tion Attorneys Association, The anticipated shortfall up to $626 million annually, The plan also seeks to give Under the plan, the agen- said expanding video in- first surfaced in November according to an analy- potential U.S. citizens the cy would continue subsidiz- terviews would be more ef- 2019, when the agency sis co-authored by Doug benefit of the doubt. For in- ing the costs of becoming ficient and convenient for proposed major fee in- Rand, a former Obama stance, it specifies that an a citizen to make sure the people far from immigra- creases — well before CO- administration official who immigrant who mistakenly process is available to as tion offices, some of which VID-19 threatened financ- founded an organization registers to vote in U.S. elec- many people as possible. continue to operate at re- es. that helps people with im- tions before becoming a The administration “recog- duced capacity because The budget whiplash raised migration. citizen won’t be punished. nizes that the cost of fees of the pandemic. doubts about how the “When USCIS is plagued Doing so now can lead can be a barrier” so “other “They have a huge back- agency’s finances deterio- with problems and not to deportation or criminal fee-paying applicants and log they need to work out rated so rapidly then sud- delivering the services it is charges, likely ending a petitioners will continue to of,” she said. “Having those denly recovered. Ur Jad- supposed to in a reason- person’s chance for citizen- subsidize this policy deci- creative solutions, will help dou, who was nominated able time, that’s not just ship. sion to ensure full cost re- them dig out of that back- by President Joe Biden in bad news for immigrants, it The issue has been in the covery,” the document log.” April to lead the agency is bad news for U.S. citizens spotlight amid a recent reads. Danielle Spooner, head and has a Wednesday navigating the system,” surge in automatic voter Asked about the status of of the union representing hearing before the Senate Rand said. q A3 U.S. NEWS WEDNESDAY 26 MAY 2021 It’s not just Arizona: Push to review 2020 ballots spreads By KATE BRUMBACK and ment to overturn the 2020 NICHOLAS RICCARDI election, may be one of Associated Press the people he consults for ATLANTA (AP) — Six months the ballot examination. after Donald Trump’s loss, Pulitzer had pushed unsuc- conspiracy theorists and cessfully for a statewide backers of former President audit of Georgia’s elec- Donald Trump are continu- tion results, even after two ing their push for repeated recounts by the Repub- examinations of ballots and lican secretary of state finding limited successes. confirmed that Biden won A Georgia judge last week the state. That finding in- awarded a group the furiated Trump, who has chance to review mail slammed both Secretary of ballots in a large Georgia State Brad Raffensperger county that includes Atlan- and the state’s Republican ta. Officials in a rural Michi- governor, Brian Kemp. gan county on Tuesday Former state Rep. Vernon debated a review of their Jones, a Trump backer voting machines. A similar who is challenging Kemp debate has caused sharp in the GOP primary, held a divisions in a New Hamp- news conference outside shire town. In some cases, the state Capitol last week the efforts have been in- In this May 6, 2021 file photo, Maricopa County ballots cast in the 2020 general election are to hammer the governor spired by an audit of the examined and recounted by contractors working for Florida-based company, Cyber Ninjas at for not commissioning a Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. votes in Arizona’s Marico- Associated Press statewide audit. “There’s a pa County, an elaborate dead cat on the end of this exercise engineered by the immigration, normally the tion. Georgia’s Fulton County, line, and we just want to GOP-led state Senate. top hot-button issue on the But Logan’s and Cotton’s where a judge on Friday find out what it is, that’s all,” The efforts are unlikely right in the border state.