CIS Ombudsman: Priorities for Fiscal Year 2007

The Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) provides recommendations for resolving individual and employer problems with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The CIS Ombudsman’s top five priorities and areas of focus for FY2007 are:

1. Recommending Solutions to Systemic Issues that Continue to Cause Individual Case Problems

The Ombudsman assists individuals and employers who experience problems with USCIS by:

• Identifying individual case matters and the systemic problems revealed by case inquiries as well as making recommendations to prevent the same problem from reoccurring. 
• Making available to the public an online form to expedite the processing of case problems submitted to the Ombudsman for assistance.
• Leveraging information technology resources to design a virtual Ombudsman’s office that provides similar services for a fraction of the cost of establishing local ombudsman’s offices.

Send your comments, examples, and suggestions regarding this issue to the Ombudsman at cisombudsman.trends@dhs.gov.

Please note: If you are attempting to submit a case problem to the attention of the CIS Ombudsman, please follow the instructions listed under case problems.

2. Expanding Up-Front Processing Programs

The Ombudsman is actively working with USCIS on the expansion and national roll-out of up-front processing programs.  These programs employ new and innovative processing models to improve customer service and increase efficiency, thereby enhancing national security.    

Up-front processing features:

• Pre-screened applications to ensure completeness prior to filing;
• Same-day interviews, and
• Adjudications completed within weeks, days, or even hours, of filing.

The goals of up-front processing are to:

• Improve customer service by implementing a streamlined process that adjudicates applications in less than 90 days;
• Increase USCIS efficiency, which will in turn help identify national security threats and fraud as early as possible; and
• Limit the issuance of interim benefits to reduce the risk of ineligible applicants acquiring legal status before adjudication of the green card application.

Send your comments, examples, and suggestions regarding this issue to the Ombudsman at cisombudsman.trends@dhs.gov.

Please note: If you are attempting to submit a case problem to the attention of the CIS Ombudsman, please follow the instructions listed under case problems.

3. Addressing USCIS Fundamental Budget Issues

Under current funding structures, USCIS is unable to maximize efficiency and provide true world-class customer service. Currently:   

• Congress mandates that USCIS be self-funded.
• USCIS must charge fee paying customers an additional amount to recover costs incurred for providing non-fee services such as the asylum and refugee programs, military naturalizations, and fee waivers for individuals unable to pay
• USCIS has proposed increasing immigration filing fees while stakeholder organizations and Members of Congress have raised concerns about the impact of proposed fee increases on applicants.
• Applications for ancillary services required by the processing delays generate substantial additional revenue estimated to be in excess of $350 million in FY 06 (approximately 23% of USCIS FY 06 revenue) particularly from three sources: (1) interim employment authorization applications for pending green card applicants; (2) advance parole applications; and (3) premium processing for temporary employment-based applications.

As long as certain program costs are unfunded and the agency is expected to recover its costs almost entirely from fees, USCIS will continue to struggle to resolve the conflicting goals of improving efficiency and customer service versus providing for its unfunded mandates. The Ombudsman is working with DHS and USCIS leadership to identify new funding strategies to address this dilemma.

Send your comments, examples, and suggestions regarding this issue to the Ombudsman at cisombudsman.trends@dhs.gov.

Please note: If you are attempting to submit a case problem to the attention of the CIS Ombudsman, please follow the instructions listed under case problems.

4. Reviewing Processing Delays Caused by USCIS Security Screening

FBI name checks significantly delay adjudication of immigration benefits for many customers and may not achieve their intended national security objectives. 

• The Ombudsman receives numerous inquiries from individuals regarding FBI name check delays; stakeholder organizations and USCIS personnel across the country regularly raise the issue of FBI name check delays as the most significant problem preventing completion of cases.
• As of May 2006, USCIS reported 235,802 name checks pending, with approximately 65% (153,166) of those cases pending more than 90 days and approximately 35% (82,824) pending more than one year.

The Ombudsman fully supports robust and thorough screening of foreign nationals.  At the same time, the Ombudsman is seeking a review of the current FBI name check process to ensure that it meets our national security goals while not unduly delaying adjudications for legitimate applicants.

You can send your comments, examples, and suggestions to address this issue to the Ombudsman at cisombudsman.trends@dhs.gov.

Please note: If you are attempting to submit a case problem to the attention of the CIS Ombudsman, please follow the instructions listed under case problems.

5. Improving USCIS Customer Service and Communications

USCIS service and communications with its customers are key concerns of the Ombudsman. Recently, the Ombudsman has seen some improvement in USCIS customer service and communications with customers, though these issues continue to be challenges for USCIS. 

• Customers have limited access to USCIS immigration officers who have detailed knowledge of individual cases.
• USCIS often provides limited and insufficient information to answer a specific inquiry, resulting in repeat customer calls to USCIS, more frequent visits to USCIS facilities, and increased requests for congressional assistance.

The National Customer Service Center (NCSC) is of particular concern.  The NCSC provides customers with telephone access to a call center for live operator assistance.  However, NCSC contract employees do not always have the necessary training or the requisite information on the status of cases to provide meaningful and timely information.

Recently, USCIS redesigned and improved its website, but many stakeholders expressed concern about the broken links and information that was lost during the transition.

Additionally, the Ombudsman supports the efforts of the USCIS Information and Customer Service Division to improve the change of address process by rolling out a centralized, online change of address system.

You can send your comments, examples, and suggestions to address this issue to the Ombudsman at cisombudsman.trends@dhs.gov.

Please note: If you are attempting to submit a case problem to the attention of the CIS Ombudsman, please follow the instructions listed under case problems.

This page was last modified on May 1, 2007