USCIS Backlog Surges to 11.6 Million, Delaying Green Cards and Work Permits

The backlog of immigration applications at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has climbed to more than 11.6 million cases, creating major delays for green card applicants, work permits, and other immigration benefits in the United States.

According to a recent study by the American Immigration Council, the backlog has more than tripled over the past decade, rising from 3.5 million pending cases in late 2015 to over 11.6 million by the end of fiscal year 2025.

The report noted that processing delays worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic, when application completions fell behind new filings. Between June 2020 and September 2021 alone, the backlog increased by 2.3 million cases.

USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow blamed the situation on years of unchecked border crossings and rising asylum applications. In a statement shared on social media, he said the agency inherited nearly 1.5 million asylum cases, up sharply from 400,000 in 2021.

The study also revealed growing delays for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) linked to green card applications. Pending EAD requests increased from about 154,000 to more than 373,000 within a year, leaving many immigrants unable to work legally while waiting for decisions.

Applications for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) saw one of the sharpest increases, rising by nearly 150% from approximately 465,000 to almost 1.2 million pending applications.

The report further showed that denial rates for several major immigration categories also increased significantly during fiscal year 2025. TPS denial rates rose from 2.9% to 12.8%, while denial rates for work authorization requests tied to green card applications climbed from 5.1% to 13.6%.

At current processing levels, USCIS would need nearly 14 months to clear its existing backlog, compared to about 9.4 months at the end of the previous administration.

Immigration advocates warn that the growing delays are creating uncertainty for families, international workers, and employers across the United States, especially for applicants relying on timely approvals for jobs and residency status.