Implementation of New Security Checks by INS Impacting Processing Times

The INS has begun performing new security checks on all new and currently pending petitions filed at all INS offices, including the four regional service centers, District offices and sub-offices. At the time these checks were implemented, the INS said it could not assess how these security checks might affect processing times. It has now become increasingly clear that these security checks are increasing processing times depending upon the location of the application. In some districts, processing times appear to have reached a slow crawl as immigration practitioners and applicants find their applications sitting at various Service Centers and INS offices while the INS attempts to process these applications and complete the security checks.

According to a Washington Post article, INS officials have acknowledged that the processing of applications has "ground to a halt" in an number of INS offices due to the security checks. These security checks are done through the Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS). This system accesses information supplied by federal agencies such as the INS, U.S. Customs Service, and the FBI on the criminal and immigration histories of individuals. These checks have impacted processing times mainly because many of the INS offices have not received the training to use the security database or do not have enough computers that have access to the system. For example, there were no computers with IBIS access at the INS office in Hartford, Connecticut and the New York District office has only one computer that is able to access IBIS to process the over 1,000 new applications that arrive daily. The INS is said to be working on supplying the needed computers and training. Some offices are no longer able to approve adjustment applicants on the same day of an interview, many are told they will be contacted with a decision.

These security checks are also being applied to Green Card Renewal Applications which can cause a problem for green card holders who wish to travel or who may currently live outside of the U.S. Before the implementation of the security checks, an individual who had attained lawful permanent residence status and needed to renew their green card would be issued evidence of their status in their passport by the INS at the time they submitted their application. This allowed them to have immediate evidence of their permanent resident status while the renewal card was being processed. However, due to the security checks, in some district office the INS can no longer provide this renewal stamp in the passport on the same day the Green Card Renewal Application is submitted. Now the INS is conducting security clearances before they place a stamp evidencing Permanent Resident Status in the passport. While the security clearances are supposed to take approximately two weeks, green card holders with expiring green cards, who are planning on traveling or are only in the U.S. for a short time to renew their Green Cards, should allow more time to receive the renewal stamp based on this security checks.

With regards to the backlog of cases, premium processing cases seem to be faring the best. It appears the INS is still working to get those cases processed within the fifteen day deadline. However, for the majority of other cases, it appears the backlog of applications continues to grow as the INS tries to supply the required computers and training to implement the new security checks.

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