Court Rules Cuccinelli Unlawfully Appointed To USCIS

Axios reports:

A federal district judge in D.C. ruled on Sunday that Ken Cuccinelli’s placement as the acting top official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.

Why it matters: Policies that were put in place under Cuccinelli are now void, including a directive that gave asylum-seekers less time to consult with legal counsel before their initial “credible fear” interview with a USCIS officer.

After the resignation of Senate-confirmed USCIS director Lee Cissna, deputy director Mark Koumans automatically assumed the role of acting director because he was designated as the “first assistant” under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.

A federal judge has ruled that it was unlawful to appoint Ken Cuccinelli to lead the agency responsible for processing US immigration requests. The judge also invalidated a set of policies for the asylum seekers who are part of the case. https://t.co/QH3KC9jMJJ

— CNN (@CNN) March 1, 2020