The United States Senate has confirmed the appointment of Lee Francis Cissna as the new director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in a 53-43 vote.
Cissna had been waiting for his confirmation for months as it was held up by congressional leaders. North Carolina’s Republican Senator Thom Tillis placed Cissna’s confirmation vote on hold as he wrestled with the Department of Homeland Security to clear additional H-2B visas.
Cissna’s appointment isn’t without controversy. Many critics were up in arms after his appointment by President Donald Trump because those groups claim Cissna would continue Trump’s “cruel policies targeting immigrants,” according to a report from The Hill.
Cissna’s mother immigrated from Peru more than 50 years ago. During his confirmation hearing back in March 2017 he addressed the major backlog of USCIS cases he would be inheriting.
“I also do not like backlogs and if I am confirmed for this position I will expeditiously inquire of the staff, the experts who run the operations at the agency to determine what can be done as soon as possible to turn that around and cut those backlogs down,” Cissna said.
The backlog has been a sour subject with the USCIS for years. FileRight is trying to work with the federal government to help streamline the process using technology that reduces inefficiencies while providing a more streamlined and secure process.