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March 4, 2003
March 1, 2003 Marked the End of the Immigration and Naturalization Service,
and the Transition of Immigration Functions to the Department of Homeland
Security
On March 1st, the Immigration and Naturalization Service ceased
to exist and its functions were officially transferred to the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS). We have been told that the transition is expected
to bring about no immediate changes to the non-immigrant, immigrant, and
citizenship application process. The government announced that all visa
regulations and immigration services will remain intact. The services function
of what constituted the INS were transferred to the Bureau of Citizenship
and Immigration Services (BCIS). The INS website is no longer active, and
immigration services information is now located on the BCIS website at www.bcis.gov
or www.immigration.gov. The information found on the new website is presented
in very much the same was as the information was presented on the INS website.
The Acting Director of the BCIS, Eduardo Aguirre, comes to the BCIS from
the position of First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the
Export-Import Bank of the United States. In the new post as Acting Director,
Mr. Aguirre will report directly to Deputy Secretary of the DHS. It is reported
that authorization has been given to Mr. Aguirre to institute a pilot program
focused on eliminating the application backlog.
A new position included in the BCIS is the BCIS Ombudsman, who will report
directly to the Deputy Secretary and will be responsible for assisting individuals
and employers that are experiencing problems with the BCIS. This position
has not yet been filled.
The enforcement side of the former INS was transferred on March 1st
to the Bureau of Border and Transportation Security, which is split into
two bureaus: the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (BCBP) and the
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE). Asa Hutchinson was
sworn in as the Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security on
January 29th, and heads these two bureaus and is responsible
for enforcement along the borders as well as aviation security. The BCBP
is headed by the Commissioner of Customs, Robert C. Bonne, and will incorporate
the border protection and inspection functions of the former INS. The BICE
is headed by the Assistant Secretary (designee), Michael Garcia, and will
include the investigative and enforcement arm of the former INS.
Flow chart of the DHS’s immigration functions
(PDF/50 kb, 1 page)
BCIS brochure (PDF/1.5 Mb, 2 pages)
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