To ensure that the termination of a number of Nebraskans working to reduce the backlog of immigration applications will not result in another backlog, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson wrote Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff last week expressing his concern about the proposed terminations.

“I’m afraid that these terminations may be premature and may ultimately cost taxpayers more money if new employees must be trained later to take their place to handle a new backlog of applications,” said Nelson.

Approximately 1100 term employees – about 90 in Nebraska – have been hired since 2002 to reduce a backlog of immigration applications and process incoming applications at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. The DHS cites a reduction in the application backlog for not renewing the employment contracts that expire at the end of this year.

“While I’m pleased that this backlog has been reduced, I want to be sure that terminating these employees will not adversely impact those efforts in the future,” said Nelson. “As we work to secure our border and prevent illegal immigration, we must also devote resources to encourage legal immigration such as Nebraska’s effective regional application processing center.”

Last fall, Nelson set out to change the way Washington approached illegal immigration by introducing a bipartisan border security first bill that separates the issues and makes it possible to move forward on securing the border. Tomorrow, the Senate is scheduled to take up the “Secure Fence Act of 2006” – a bill passed by the House of Representatives last week that would require the Department of Homeland Security to secure the entire southern border with both a physical border barrier, a virtual fence, and requires an examination of security risks along the Northern border.

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