Citizenship agency charts new course with fiscal challenges

By ELLIOT SPAGAT
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The head of the U.S. agency that grants citizenship and visas says it’s in a strong financial position as her first year at the helm draws to a close. Last year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was on the brink of furloughing nearly 70% of its employees, then declared it would end the year with a large surplus. Director Ur Jaddou says a temporary hiring freeze and no longer requiring new biometric data for renewal of benefits helped put the agency on stronger footing. Jaddou tells The Associated Press an upcoming fee proposal will underscore immigration “should not be reserved to the wealthy,” contrasting with a Trump-era mantra of immigrant self-sufficiency.