USCIS Application Backlog Reaches 12 Million Pending Cases

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is currently managing a backlog of nearly 12 million pending immigration applications, encompassing requests for citizenship, asylum, and work permits. This volume increased by 2 million during the first year of the second Trump administration. Additionally, a frontlog of unassigned applications grew to 247,974 by September 2025.

The Department of Homeland Security attributes the delays to the introduction of more rigorous screening and vetting protocols intended to bolster national security. However, immigration attorneys and critics contend that the administration is intentionally slow-walking legal migration to shift priority toward deportations. This delay leaves millions of immigrants without official receipts to prove their pending status in court, increasing their risk of removal.