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Title 8, Aliens and NationalityRelease 119-110

§1573 Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements Account

Title 8 › CHAPTER 13 — IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER II — IMMIGRATION SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS › § 1573

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Attorney General must take steps to cut the backlog of immigration benefit applications, with the goal of completely eliminating the backlog by 1 year after November 25, 2002. The Attorney General must also improve how applications are processed so a backlog does not form again after that date, and must upgrade the infrastructure needed to provide immigration services effectively. Money may be given to the Department of Justice as needed to pay for these steps. Those funds can be kept until spent and can be held in a Treasury account called the Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements Account. No money can be spent until the required report to Congress has been submitted.

Full Legal Text

Title 8, §1573

Aliens and Nationality, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Authority of the Attorney General
The Attorney General shall take such measures as may be necessary to—
(1)reduce the backlog in the processing of immigration benefit applications, with the objective of the total elimination of the backlog 1 year after November 25, 2002;
(2)make such other improvements in the processing of immigration benefit applications as may be necessary to ensure that a backlog does not develop after such date; and
(3)make such improvements in infrastructure as may be necessary to effectively provide immigration services.
(b)Authorization of appropriations
(1)In general
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Justice from time to time such sums as may be necessary for the Attorney General to carry out subsection (a).
(2)Designation of account in treasury
Amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) may be referred to as the “Immigration Services and Infrastructure Improvements Account”.
(3)Availability of funds
Amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until expended.
(4)Limitation on expenditures
None of the funds appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) may be expended until the report described in section 1574(a) of this title has been submitted to Congress.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “1 year after
November 25, 2002;” for “not later than one year after
October 17, 2000;”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective 60 days after Nov. 25, 2002, see section 4 of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 101 of Title 6, Domestic Security. Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and

Transfer of Functions

For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service,

Transfer of Functions

, and treatment of related references, see note set out under section 1551 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

8 U.S.C. § 1573

Title 8, Aliens and Nationality

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110