National Immigration Project Submits Comments on Changes to USCIS Forms Which Will Vastly Increase Government Data Collection

The National Immigration Project submitted comments strongly opposing on two recent rules proposed by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which will vastly expand information USCIS collects on commonly used applications, including applications for asylum, adjustment of status, and naturalization. The first of these rules would require applicants to submit extensive information about distant relatives who have nothing to do with the benefit sought. This rule would increase many applications by more than 5 pages, make it difficult for noncitizens to timely complete forms, and increase the length of time USCIS needs to adjudicate applications. The second rule requires applicants on the same forms to submit their social media “handles” for the past five years. This social media surveillance could lead to application denials based on applicants’ content-based speech.