#shorts Kennedy: Well, the agencies responsible for the legal immigration system, Mr. Costa, are they processing applications promptly?

Witness: I would say it depends. For low-wage work visas, they are mostly processing them quite quickly.
Kennedy: We’ve got a backlog of 24 million applications, what do you mean it depends?

Witness: I mean, it depends on which visa you’re talking about. I would say for H-1B, for instance, the USCIS prides themselves on how quickly they process those visas. When it comes to other things like work permits, they’ve been slow. And I think the problem is that Congress has not appropriated funds for them.
Kennedy: They have this money. We now have a larger federal budget, adjusted for inflation, than we’ve ever had in the history of the United States of America.

Costa: But with all due respect
Kennedy: it’s wasted the money

On 5/31/2023, Senator Kennedy questioned Costa, Sequeira in Judiciary U.S. Senate Hearing.

other clips of this published longer video is here: https://youtu.be/YZ5-UK8YYuc
Costa: not appropriated funds; Kennedy: 24 million backlog! larger budget than ever in history!