One lawsuit claiming the U.S. government delayed the processing of naturalization paperwork has been dismissed. The matter has been resolved with the individual receiving approval to become a U.S. citizen. The delay was caused by the inability to access documents held in the federal records center storage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While one lawsuit has been resolved and dismissed, other lawsuits related to the same issue remain pending.

The original applications for naturalization were filed in 2020. In June 2022 with the applications not yet reviewed, the lawsuits were filed. Documents held in the federal records facility were inaccessible due to COVID, starting in March 2020. However, access to the documents was again available in March 2022. Other filings for naturalization were proceeding. As such, the individuals with pending filings filed lawsuits against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

Two other matters related to the same issue remain open. The other plaintiffs request the completion of the processing of naturalization paperwork prior to the November midterm elections. In the complaint, the individuals state their citizenship interview was not scheduled due to the “A-files” or immigration files, remaining in the Federal Records Center storage facility. The A-files are required in order to schedule the citizenship interview.

The request to complete the processing of their naturalization paperwork prior to the November elections is to ensure they are able to vote. In particular, they cite immigration, education, economy, and family issues as being critical in the upcoming election. The individuals’ lawsuit that remains open is awaiting retrieval of the A-files and their citizenship interview.

If you have questions about your immigration status, A-files, or any other immigration-related issue, contact us at ILBSG. Our attorneys work with our clients to ensure they get the right advice for their particular situations. We actively monitor litigation, policy, and processing updates to help our clients maximize their odds of a successful outcome.

A-files Federal Records Center