January 23, 2024

The Honorable Antony J. Blinken

Secretary

U.S. Department of State

Washington, D.C. 20520

The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas

Secretary

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. 20528

The Honorable Rena Bitter

Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs

U.S. Department of State

Washington, D.C. 20036

The Honorable Ur Jaddou

Director 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Camp Springs, MD 20588

Dear Secretary Blinken, Secretary Mayorkas, Assistant Secretary Bitter, and Director Jaddou:

We write to follow up on our October 25, 2023, letter regarding the increased hardships

faced by religious organizations, their employees, and the communities they serve due to the

change in statutory interpretation made last year by the U.S. Department of State. As you know,

that change has lengthened the amount of time it will take for all applicants from most countries

to receive an employment-based, fourth preference (EB-4) visa. We appreciate the Department

of State’s December 2023 response, including its commitment to “expeditiously process

nonimmigrant religious worker visa applications and current EB-4 immigrant visas at consular

sections overseas.”

As we acknowledged in our initial letter, we recognize that Congress has an important

role to play with respect to improving our nation’s immigration system. However, we reiterate

our request that you give more consideration to ways in which administrative, non-statutory

changes may be appropriate to reduce the burdens on religious employers and workers—

including by considering, to the extent permitted by law, the administrative actions

recommended to you in the May 25, 2023, letter sent to you by a coalition of religious

organizations. We are also interested in the specific actions that the Department of State is

taking to fulfill its commitment to “expeditiously process” visas at consular sections overseas,

and we look forward to receiving a prompt response from the U.S. Department of Homeland

Security relating to the issues within its jurisdiction.

Again, thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

 

 

Susan M. Collins

United States Senator

 

 

 

Tim Kaine

United States Senator

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

Office of the Director (MS 2000) 

Camp Springs, MD 20588-0009 

March 6, 2024 

The Honorable Susan M. Collins 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Senator Collins: 

Thank you for your January 24, 2024 letter to the Department of Homeland Security 

following up on your October 25, 2023, letter regarding nonimmigrant and immigrant visas for 

religious workers. I am responding on behalf of the Department. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) appreciates the concerns you shared 

and your interest in assisting religious organizations and the communities they serve. USCIS 

continues to consider a variety of policy and regulatory options that may help ease some of the 

challenges faced by noncitizens with lengthy wait times for available EB-4 visas, including 

religious workers present in the United States in nonimmigrant R-1 status. 

While USCIS may be able to provide some additional flexibility for prospective 

applicants, only legislation could fully address the concerns you raise. We defer to the 

Department of State regarding your question about actions they are taking to expeditiously 

process visas at consular sections overseas. 

Thank you again for your letter and interest in this important issue. Senator Kaine, the 

cosigner of your letter, will receive a separate, identical response. For any additional assistance, 

please have your staff contact the USCIS Office of Legislative Affairs at (240) 721-3801. 

Respectfully, 

Ur M. Jaddou 

Director