CR-1/IR-1 visas fail to provide equal protection under the law to Americans who have wed foreign citizens by imposing inequitable fines and separation on their families, and by forcing Americans to prove the authenticity of their relationships to a government agency.
The CR-1/IR-1 takes an average of 8-9 months, during which time many spouses or their children are separated. If the couple does not meet the income requirements of 125% above poverty level, have thousands of dollars in applications fees, or ill-defined proof their union is "bona fide", this separation can drag on for years.
While preventing fraud is necessary, processing times must be drastically improved, or families must be allowed to reunite in the US while visas are pending, reducing separation to no more than a month.