CARRP facts for kids

CARRP (Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program) is a special program used by the United States government. It's part of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This program aims to review certain people's applications for citizenship or other immigration benefits very carefully. The goal is to prevent some individuals from getting these benefits.

What is CARRP?

CARRP stands for "Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program." It's a system that allows the government to take a much closer look at some immigration applications. This means that instead of a quick decision, some people might have to wait a very long time.

Why was CARRP created?

The CARRP program was started in 2008. It was created to help keep the country safe. The government uses it to check if people applying for immigration benefits might be a risk to national security or public safety.

Who does CARRP affect?

CARRP mostly affects people from certain parts of the world. These include communities from Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian countries. The top five countries whose citizens are often reviewed under CARRP are Pakistan, Iraq, India, Iran, and Yemen.

How does CARRP work?

Normally, the law says that immigration applications should be decided within 180 days (about six months). But if an application goes into the CARRP program, this time limit doesn't apply. Applications can be delayed for a very long time, sometimes even years.

The government decides if an application goes into CARRP based on different reasons. These can include:

• Sending money to countries in the Middle East.
• Having friends or contacts on social media who are suspected of certain activities.
• Someone telling the government that a person should not get immigration benefits, even if it's not proven.

So far, nearly 42,000 people have had their applications held up by the CARRP program.

What happens if your application is delayed?

If an application is stuck in the CARRP program, it can be very frustrating. Right now, the main way for people to get their applications moving is to take the government to court. Many people have filed lawsuits. Often, after a lawsuit is filed, USCIS will approve the application.

The ACLU is a group that works to protect people's rights. In 2017, the ACLU filed a big lawsuit about CARRP. This lawsuit is called a class-action lawsuit.

What is a class-action lawsuit?

A class-action lawsuit is when one or more people sue on behalf of a larger group of people. All the people in the group have been affected by the same problem. In this case, the ACLU's lawsuit represents everyone whose immigration application has been unfairly delayed by CARRP.

The lawsuit says that the CARRP program might be against the law. It also says that it might not give people fair treatment, which is called "due process." A trial for this lawsuit was set for March 2020.