The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the federal agency that handles immigration and citizenship applications, proposed on Tuesday a substantial fee increase to improve customer service and pay for increased security measures. “America’s immigration system is under reform,” said Eduardo Aguirre, USCIS director.

“This adjustment is necessary to deliver a more compassionate, effective and secure system.” Aguirre said the increase will be used to fund the full cost of providing immigration benefits, adjudication and naturalization services. “Without it, the applications backlog is certain to grow, processing times will lengthen and service will deteriorate.”

The proposed increase, however, has been greeted with protest, with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) saying the estimated 55% increase in fees is “difficult to justify.” Processing backlogs have reached crisis proportions, said the AILA in a statement Tuesday, adding that the immigration agency’s poor service and long waiting periods are already problems immigrants and would-be citizens face. If approved, the rule will increase immigration benefit application fees by an estimated $55 per application, and increases the fingerprining fee by $20. An application for permanent residency, under the proposed rule, will rise to $315, a $60 leap from $255. Residents applying for US citizenship would have to pay $320 from $260.

Atty. James Beirne of the Asian American Legal Center (Law Offices of James Beirne) said “the USCIS should ensure that the proposed increase would translate into better services by the agency. As it is, foreign nationals are having a hard time dealing with the immigration service since most of its undertakings are directed to homeland security enforcement. Services are almost always ignored.” Beirne, who said, the announcement is only the beginning of the regulatory process, is urging readers and immigrant advocates to send their views and comments to rfs.regs@dhs.gov or mail their written comment to: Regulations and Forms Division, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Dept. of Homeland Security, 425 I St. NW, Room 4034, Washington, DC 20536.

The USCIS, under Section 286(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), is allowed to collect fees at a level that will ensure recovery of the full costs of providing adjudication and naturalization services. However, it has to conform to the requirements of the Chief Financial Officers Act and to the standards recommended by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board. Federal guidelines, said Aguirre, require that the USCIS collect fees, rather than using tax dollars, to recover the full costs associated with providing immigration services, and conduct a review every two years to ensure that adequate revenue is received.

The proposed adjustment, he added, will recover costs associated with comprehensive security enhancements instituted after September 11, 2001, and enhance customer service by contributing to improved application processing times. In its first year, the USCIS reported that it conducted 35 million national security checks to make certain that the right applicant receives the right benefit in the right amount of time, and to prevent the wrong applicant from accessing US benefits. The federal agency also reported that it managed to eliminate the lines at many of its highest volume offices, adding that it introduced online application filing and case status updates.

The proposed rule provides a 30-day public comment period and will go into effect shortly after the USCIS has published a final rule in the Federal Register, which will include a modified fee structure.