US immigration delays risk votes

Citizenship applications surged this year before a fee rise

Hundreds of thousands of people may not be able to vote in next year's US presidential election because of a huge citizenship application backlog.
Hispanic leaders voiced concern over the delays at the US immigration department, which said it had not expected the paperwork mountain.

Officials said applications had surged before a July administration fee rise.

The backlog could take 18 months to resolve, leaving many applicants unable to vote in the November 2008 election.

The delays will affect those who filed citizenship applications after 1 June with the Citizenship and Immigration Services agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security, said officials.