Zhang v. Gonzales

The ACLU Foundation of Northern California, the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, the Asian Law Caucus and the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a class action lawsuit challenging the United States Custom and Immigration Services' (USCIS) failure to process citizenship applications within a reasonable time period. The lawsuit is based on federal laws that require timely processing of immigration benefits applications, including a provision which allows individuals to go to court if USCIS takes more than 120 days after completing the naturalization examination.

Representing eight individuals—long time lawful permanent residents who have each waited over two years since their citizenship interviews—the civil rights organizations are asking the court to resolve the individual applications and grant citizenship to the individual plaintiffs. In addition, the suit is asking the court to order the agency to process other overdue naturalization applications within a short time period and process future applications in a timely manner. The case is Zhang v. Gonzales and was filed on February 8, 2007 in federal district court in San Francisco.

Learn more:

Northern Californians Demand End to Citizenship Applications Delays

ACLU Seeks Records on Immigration Enforcement Actions in Northern California