More gov't. sabotage: 13,400 federal Immigration Svc. workers facing furlough

[live love laugh]

Last edited Sun Jul 19, 2020, 02:08 AM - Edit history (2)

CAMILO MONTOYA-GALVEZ
JULY 6, 2020 / 7:10 AM / CBS NEWS
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uscis-funding-13400-immigration-workers-furlough-coronavirus/


In less than 30 days, the cash-strapped U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will start furloughing more than 13,400 employees — nearly 70% of its workforce — unless Congress authorizes emergency funding to avoid a scenario that would cripple the nation's legal immigration system [which] ... it attributes to a drastic decrease in applications during the coronavirus pandemic that has deprived the fee-funded agency of its main source of revenue.

<snip>

Democratic and Republican congressional officials said the administration has yet to file a formal budget request, ... The Trump administration, however, says Congress has all it needs to bailout USCIS. "The Administration has formally requested the resources necessary to keep USCIS running," an OMB spokesperson told CBS News. "Our hope is that Congressional Democrats accept our proposal to keep the lights on in a responsible manner."

<snip>

"The Trump White House is responsible for requesting supplemental funding, but all they have sent Congress is a one-page letter that provides virtually no information on the shortfall or proposed remedies," said Evan Hollander, a spokesperson for the House appropriations panel. "Despite this egregious lack of communication, House Democrats are closely tracking USCIS' financial difficulties and are prepared to discuss solutions as part of negotiations on the next phase of coronavirus response legislation. So far, Senate Republicans are unwilling to begin those talks."

<snip>

A Republican Senate aide said House appropriators have not reached out about the USCIS emergency funds. The aide also said the White House has not made a formal request for the funds, noting that Vought's June 19 letter did not include a dollar figure.

<snip>

...

[Thomas Hurt]

1. I think the one thing Trump has plenty of experience with is f**king over employees...

he is just using it on a larger scale.

Put an incompetent apparatchik in charge, he/she fires large numbers.

False budget cuts, misappropriation of funding to other parts of the gov't, smears of key personnel.

the pig gets off on screwing with people's lives.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

2. Reads like an opportunistic Republican's dream come true.

Another government bureau they can destroy during pandemic hard times.

GOP game plan: defund/depopulate/demoralize/delegitimize then finally destroy and privatize.

KY

[Backseat Driver]

3. How many USCIS employees were required to lock up and/or lose the kids?

How many more were needed to shake down their parents?

How many saw nothing by threat; said nothing by threat?

Doofus didn't want POC to enter, mostly at the Southern border, before CoVid-19; now they're crying for more $$$ because far fewer immigrants are able to cross (travel) and/or no longer think entry will be their saving grace to economic betterment or safety? Those charged with requesting more of our tax dollars won't say how much MORE is required to run the agency? What, no fake admin modelers for that task? And no one in leadership position wants to sit down at a bipartisan table and speak about what policies are NEEDED to be in place and how to afford their implementation?

What I'm seeing is that we could afford to lose quite a few "leadership" lackeys in this agency who were too weak to say NO! to bad policies while tirelessly poring over their self-funding rackets. Is it such a bad thing that fed agency "ambassadors" with direct contact with potential new citizens are also laid off as their "work" that increases the agencies self-funding are also just sitting around awaiting new policy guidelines when immigrant/asylum seekers again return in bigger numbers?

Unfortunately, I'm not sure we've seen the worst of lay-offs while CoVid-19 is still ravishing the health of our nation; so sir-ee! Some agencies may need to decrease; new ones not even yet imagined increased. If we can't be flexible...we waste!

His admin fiends seem to be willing to try a run at Treasury's wallet to grab up opportunities of graft. Congress Critters can feed his gravy train until we can rationally decide how this agency can better serve the need through better policies toward new citizens??? I'd be willing to bet the necessary $$$ might be lower when we act with more kindness and more rational policies. Until November, then, they can play cat and mouse games with the Labor Stats...Not good but Team Trump for that fail. If there's not enough immigrants, we don't need so many workers either at this point - then Joe will get better numbers as they return to work instead of being paid for no work!

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Having zero immigration has been the plan.

[Backseat Driver]

5. Yes, I know...but he keeps replacing judges

that did help somewhat in squelching his worst earlier intentions and abuses, but once he went back on Dreamers, no none took up the even slower conversation about how to get it done - I don't really think golf is the way to get issues resolved, so somebody from a great new cabinet choice, Congress, an aide, somebody, better have a plan and prepared legislation at the ready for submission, committee, and a quick vote? Hey, a Dem can dream, right?

Perhaps a very temporary moritorium would help make implementation of better policies possible, if that's the best that could be done before November, or at least until we rid ourselves of the power he and his toadies feel they can exert without consequence of rule of law against Dreamers and those seeking to be citizens in that "melting pot" of heritage we call America with a clear, economical and enforceable path to citizenship and humane treatment during the process of approval. Clearly, the wheels to dot i's and cross t's turn too slowly to keep up presently, and I'd just wish a change in the Oval, Cabinet, and in Congress Critters in the Senate can bring about closing the ways that abuse of power has been manifested under *45th's failure of Oath and administration of Office. Would that be acceptable or be seen just as tyrannical as mask wearing in the face of a pandemic?