Jun 12, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Immigrants sue for delayed naturalizations during coronavirus

Citizens from around the world hold up their right hands as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance during a Naturalization Ceremony. Photo: Sandy Huffaker / Getty Images

Two immigrants awaiting delayed naturalization ceremonies amid COVID-19 filed a lawsuit against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to expedite the process to vote in the November presidential election, Buzzfeed News reports.

Where it stands: The suit filed in federal court in Pennsylvania this week notes that the plaintiffs are among thousands of immigrants waiting to complete the final step to achieve American citizenship. U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services reopened their offices earlier this month for small ceremonies, but a backlog remains.

  • USCIS says the rate of ceremonies will grow as the agency becomes "more adept" at managing larger groups. Ceremonies before the novel coronavirus could naturalize up to 5,000 immigrants at once.
  • The lawsuit notes that "it will take several months, under current measures, for the USCIS Philadelphia Field Office to administer the oath of allegiance to Plaintiffs and proposed class members."

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Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 12 p.m. ET: 30,241,377 — Total deaths: 947,266— Total recoveries: 20,575,416 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 12 p.m. ET: 6,681,251 — Total deaths: 197,763 — Total recoveries: 2,540,334 — Total tests: 91,546,598 — Map.
  3. Politics: Trump vs. his own administration on virus response.
  4. Health: Massive USPS face mask operation called off — The risks of moving too fast on a vaccine.
  5. Business: Unemployment drop-off reverses course — 1 million mortgage-holders fall through safety net — How the pandemic has deepened Boeing's 737 MAX crunch.
  6. Education: At least 42% of school employees are vulnerable.
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Joann Muller, author of Navigate
2 hours ago - Economy & Business

Anxious days for airline workers as mass layoffs loom

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, during a Sept. 9 protest outside the Capitol. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The clock is ticking for tens of thousands of anxious airline employees, who face mass reductions when the government's current payroll support program expires on Sept. 30.

Where it stands: Airline CEOs met Thursday with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who said President Trump would support an additional $25 billion from Congress to extend the current aid package through next March.

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Orion Rummler
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

House Democrats ask DOJ watchdog to probe Durham's Trump-Russia investigation

Attorney General Bill Barr. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynsky/AFP via Getty Images

Four Democratic House committee chairs on Friday asked the Justice Department's inspector general to launch an "emergency investigation" into whether Attorney General Bill Barr and U.S. Attorney John Durham, his appointee, are taking actions that could "improperly influence the upcoming presidential election."

Catch up quick: Last year, Barr tapped Durham to conduct a sweeping investigation into the origins of the FBI's 2016 Russia probe, after he and President Trump claimed that it was unjustified and a "hoax."

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