- The 76-day DHS shutdown ended on April 30, 2026 following a bipartisan funding agreement.
- USCIS remained mostly open due to fee-funding, but processing backlogs are expected during the recovery.
- Travelers should anticipate longer security lines at airports as TSA staffing levels normalize post-shutdown.
(UNITED STATES) — USCIS remained largely open during the 76-day Department of Homeland Security shutdown, but applicants should expect slower case movement in the near term as support functions resume and backlogs clear.
The shutdown ended on April 30, 2026, after the House passed a bipartisan funding bill to reopen DHS. The lapse began on February 14, 2026. It became the longest shutdown affecting the department, surpassing the 2018 to 2019 record. The political fight unfolded alongside fallout from a deadly immigration crackdown in Minneapolis and a broader Capitol Hill dispute over DHS oversight.
USCIS was mostly insulated because it runs primarily on filing fees, not annual appropriations. That kept many adjudications, biometrics appointments, and online case functions in place. Delays still built up. USCIS depends on other DHS components for support, security coordination, and related services. Those interruptions now carry over into regular processing.
Applicants tracking Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, or Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, should treat posted timelines as estimates. USCIS says processing times vary by service center, local field office, and case type. Requests for Evidence, interviews, and background checks extend cases further.
As of April 2026, USCIS also announced an interim final rule tied to the OBBA on April 28, 2026, with new fees and requirements, including penalties tied to unpaid annual asylum fees. Applicants should verify current charges before filing. A wrong fee still causes rejection. The official fee schedule is at [USCIS fee schedule](https://www.uscis.gov/fees).
E-Verify stayed online during the lapse because of separate OBBA funding provisions. That spared employers the suspension seen in some earlier shutdowns. Still, staffing disruptions across DHS affected related operations. The clearest public impact fell outside USCIS, especially at airports and land ports run by CBP and screening checkpoints run by TSA.
| Form | Purpose | Fee | Typical Processing, as of April 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-485 | Adjustment of status | $1,440 | 8 to 14 months |
| I-765 | Employment authorization | $520 | 3 to 7 months |
| I-131 | Travel document / advance parole | $630 | 6 to 12 months |
USCIS posts these estimates at [USCIS processing times](https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/). Times vary by service center and category. The National Benefits Center often handles pre-interview processing, while local field offices control interview scheduling. Texas Service Center, Nebraska Service Center, Vermont Service Center, and California Service Center each post separate ranges.
⏱️ Processing Time: USCIS timelines are estimates, as of April 2026. RFEs, interview scheduling, and security checks often add weeks or months.
TSA now has full funding again, but travelers should expect longer security lines in the short term. More than 1,100 TSA officers resigned during the shutdown over pay uncertainty. Backpay measures are in place, but new hiring and training take time. Summer traffic will test staffing quickly.
CBP kept ports of entry open throughout the lapse. Global Entry enrollments were suspended on February 22 and partially restarted on March 11. People waiting for interviews should watch for new appointment notices as staffing normalizes. Regular pay cycles for CBP officers are also expected to ease arrival processing at airports.
ICE remained fully operational during the shutdown because enforcement and removal work continued through separate mandatory funding pools. Administrative and non-essential support work was more limited. Congress also used budget reconciliation to fund ICE and CBP separately, which helped clear the way for the broader DHS bill that passed on April 30.
Case-specific USCIS delays will not hit every filer equally. Family-based and employment-based applicants may see different movement depending on interview needs and background check timing. If a case becomes urgent, an expedite request is possible in limited situations. USCIS usually looks for severe financial loss, emergencies, urgent humanitarian reasons, or clear agency error.
⚠️ Common Mistake: Filing with an old fee or an outdated edition of a form leads to rejection. Check the form edition date and fee before mailing.
Applicants can check status in three steps. 1. Use the receipt number at [myUSCIS](https://my.uscis.gov/). 2. Compare the case with current estimates at the USCIS processing times tool. 3. If the case is outside normal time, submit an online inquiry through the USCIS account. Expedite requests can also begin through that account or by calling 1-800-375-5283.
People with pending travel plans should separate immigration processing from airport operations. A delayed TSA checkpoint does not affect a pending Form I-131 decision. A slower Global Entry interview does not change a USCIS adjustment timeline. Each system has its own staffing pattern, even though all four agencies, USCIS, CBP, ICE, and TSA, felt the shutdown in different ways.
Anyone preparing a filing this week should download the current form, confirm the exact fee, and check whether a fee waiver through Form I-912 is available. Mail the package to the address in the form instructions. Create a USCIS online account at [myUSCIS](https://my.uscis.gov/) to track updates and respond quickly if USCIS issues a Request for Evidence.
📋 Official Resources: Download forms at [USCIS forms](https://www.uscis.gov/forms). Check processing times at [USCIS processing times](https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/). Fees and processing times are subject to change; always verify current information at [USCIS](https://www.uscis.gov).
