The DHS’s Office of Immigration Statistics has released its monthly statistical report for the month of January 2005, covering topics such as: inspections, Southwest border apprehensions, immigration benefits, naturalization benefits, removals, and asylum. 

For the first four months of fiscal year 2005, total inspections decreased 3 percent when compared to fiscal year 2004, while air admissions increased by 2 percent, and land admissions decreased by 4 percent. About 12.9 million U.S. citizens were admitted at DHS ports of entry during January 2005, compared to approximately 19.9 million aliens admitted during the same month.  The total inadmissible count for January, 2005 was 53,397, a 9 percent decrease compared to the total for January 2004.  Inadmissible persons include aliens referred to secondary inspection who withdraw, are refused entry, are paroled in, or are referred to an Immigration Judge for a removal hearing.  

Applications and petitions for immigration benefits in January 2005 increased 17 percent compared to the number received in January 2004.  January approvals were up 2 percent, while denials increased by 6 percent and pending decreased 23 percent when compared to January 2004.  For fiscal year 2005 to date, receipts increased by 5 percent, while approvals increased 1 percent and pending decreased 23 percent compared to same period in fiscal year 2004. Major volumes in January 2005 receipts include:  155,626 I-765 employment authorizations, 56,831 I-130 relative petitions, 47,725 I-485 permanent resident adjustments, and 51,233 I-90 Green Card renewals/replacements.  Major volumes of pending applications at the end of January 2005 include:  1,768,397 I-130 relative petitions; 1,114,144 I-485 permanent resident adjustments; 199,693 I-90 Green Card renewals/replacements, and 257,548 I-765 employment authorizations. 

Naturalization receipts in January 2005 decreased 1 percent when compared to January 2004, while approvals/oaths were up 17 percent and denials were up 15 percent.  For the first four months of fiscal year 2005, 159,643 persons took the oath of citizenship, an increase of 19 percent compared to fiscal year 2004. The number of pending cases reached 645,773 in January; a decrease of one percent compared to the same month in fiscal year 2004.  The USCIS instituted a new fee structure effective on April 30, 2004.  The fee for N-400 Application for Naturalization increased by $60 (not including a separate biometric fee). 

Total removals for January decreased 17 percent compared to the same month a year before.  In January 2005, DHS removed 14,542 aliens from the United States, 6,199 of these aliens were criminals. The current month's statistics are preliminary.  Historically there have been significant upward revisions in the statistics for three months after the initial reporting period.  The December statistic for total removals has increased 9 percent (1,147 removals) since the preliminary number was released last month. Preliminary data indicate that total removals for fiscal year 2005 to-date (October-January) decreased 6 percent compared to fiscal year 2004 to-date (October-January).  Preliminary data indicate that removals of criminal aliens (including expedited) decreased 5 percent for the first four months of fiscal year 2005 compared to the same time period in fiscal year 2004.