About the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

Mission

Assist individuals and employers in resolving immigration benefits problems, propose changes in administrative practices to improve customer service, and directly provide Congress and the Department of Homeland Security substantive analysis on the quality of immigration services.

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Vision

• Promote and expand the office’s ability to assist individuals and employers now and in the future;
• Diligently study issues of humanitarian, family, and economic importance across the spectrum of immigration benefits and services;
• Propose credible solutions to customer-service barriers that are impartial and operationally sound;
• Identify best practices and forward-looking business models that will meet future challenges for the Department of Homeland Security; and
• Work cooperatively with government partners to benefit the public.

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Areas of Focus

Enhance Case Problem Resolution Services. The Ombudsman is working to improve communications with USCIS to better assist individuals and employers in resolving case problems. The Ombudsman is also developing a Virtual Ombudsman System to make it easier for underserved communities, employers, and immigration practitioners to submit case problems to our office.  The system will use an electronic version of Form DHS-7001 (CIS Ombudsman Case Problem Submission Form), and will enhance the ability of the office to identify and recommend solutions to systemic problems by improving analysis and reporting capabilities.

Propose Administrative Changes to Mitigate Systemic Problems. The Ombudsman is reviewing the following issues to develop recommendations that will assist individuals and employers in dealing with USCIS:

• Naturalization Process
• E-Verify
• Immigration Issues for Healthcare Workers
• T Visa Issues for those Subject to “Severe Trafficking”
• Forms I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative), I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker), and I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) Processing Delays
• Employment Creation (Investor) Visa Processing (often referred to as “EB-5”)
• International Adoptions
• USCIS Digitization Initiative
• Processing delays caused by USCIS security screening (FBI Name Checks)
• Communications between USCIS and Customers

Study USCIS Services and Immigration Reform. The Ombudsman is performing a formal study of USCIS’ ability to effectively enroll and register the population of illegal immigrants in the United States should Congress pass and the President sign into law immigration reform legislation.

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Organization

The CIS Ombudsman works in partnership with the Director of USCIS and reports directly to the Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security.

• View the Department of Homeland Security Organizational Chart.

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Authorities

• Legislation establishing the CIS Ombudsman 5 U.S.C. § 452

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