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U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityOmbudsmanAnnual Report 2009June 30, 2009Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman Annual Report 2009Citizenship and Immigration ServicesJune 30, 2009

Citizenship andImmigration ServicesOmbudsmanAnnualReport 2009June 30, 2009

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Senate & House JudiciaryCommittee LeadershipThe Honorable Patrick J. Leahy, ChairmanThe Honorable Charles E. Schumer, ChairmanCommittee on the JudiciaryUnited States SenateWashington, D.C. 20510Committee on the JudiciarySubcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border SecurityUnited States SenateWashington, D.C. 20510The Honorable Jeff Sessions, Ranking MemberThe Honorable John Cornyn, Ranking MemberCommittee on the JudiciaryUnited States SenateWashington, D.C. 20510Committee on the JudiciarySubcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border SecurityUnited States SenateWashington, D.C. 20510The Honorable John Conyers Jr., ChairmanCommittee on the JudiciaryUnited States House of RepresentativesWashington, D.C. 20515The Honorable Zoe Lofgren, ChairwomanCommittee on the JudiciarySubcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, BorderSecurity, and International LawUnited States House of RepresentativesWashington, D.C. 20515The Honorable Lamar S. Smith, Ranking MemberCommittee on the JudiciaryUnited States House of RepresentativesWashington, D.C. 20515The Honorable Steve King, Ranking MemberCommittee on the JudiciarySubcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, BorderSecurity, and International LawUnited States House of RepresentativesWashington, D.C. 20515Annual Report to Congress — June 2009iii

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Letter from the OmbudsmanJune 30, 2009On behalf of the Ombudsman staff, we hereby submit our 2009 Annual Report to Congress, pursuant to section 452 of theHomeland Security Act.Richard E. FlowersActing OmbudsmanAnnual Report to Congress — June 2009Wendy E. KamenshineActing Deputy Ombudsmanv

A Note of AppreciationI would like to thank Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and former Secretary Michael Chertoffand their staffs for assisting this office in carrying out its statutory mission. Thank you also to Acting USCISDeputy Director Michael Aytes and former Acting USCIS Director Jonathan “Jock” Scharfen for their dedicationto providing ever-improving immigration benefits services and for assisting this office in furthering its mission.In addition, I would like to thank the entire USCIS Ombudsman Liaison Unit for assistance in the work of thisoffice. Thank you also to former CIS Ombudsman Michael Dougherty and former Deputy Ombudsman LukeBellocchi, for their dedicated service to the Ombudsman’s office.Finally, I thank the Ombudsman’s entire staff and particularly the management team, Wendy Kamenshine,Acting Deputy Ombudsman and Annual Report Project Manager, James Reaves, Chief of Intake, Evaluations, andProblem Resolution, and Gary Merson, Chief of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, for their leadership, dedica tion, and diligence in this Report’s publication.Richard E. FlowersActing OmbudsmanviCitizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

Executive Summary andAnnual Report RecommendationsThis is the sixth Annual Report prepared by the Citizenshipand Immigration Services Ombudsman (Ombudsman) sincethe office was established in 2003 pursuant to Section 452 ofthe Homeland Security Act.provides for more robust capabilities to resolve case problems.The Ombudsman is now better able to perform the statutorymission of assisting individuals and employers.As required by statute, this Annual Report also summarizesthe most pervasive and serious problems encountered byindividuals and employers, including Requests for Evidence,USCIS customer service, and FBI name checks.During this reporting period, May 1, 2008 through April 30,2009, there was a marked decrease in applications and peti tions filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS). This reduction in receipt levels has provided USCISwith the opportunity to work long-pending cases. However,with less fee revenue, the agency may now face new chal lenges. This Annual Report also discusses:During the reporting period, the Ombudsman made eightformal recommendations, also discussed in this Report, whichcover humanitarian, family, and business issues, including:(1) improving the motions to reopen/reconsider process;(2) expansion of payment methods for USCIS customers;(3) streamlining EB-5 investor visa processing; (4) challengesin humanitarian categories for victims of trafficking and speci fied criminal activity; (5) the E-Verify program that checksan individual’s employment eligibility; (6) naturalization;(7) immigration processing for foreign nurses; and (8) timelyissuance of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) foreligible applicants.yyUSCIS processing times and backlogs, as well as a follow-up review of the 2007 summer surge in immigrationfilings;yyUSCIS Transformation, a five-year 491 million initiativeto modernize USCIS systems;Ombudsman facilitation of interagency meetings, includ yying between USCIS and the U.S. Department of State – theentities charged with processing permanent immigrationapplications and administering the annual numerical limitson family and employment-based visas;The following is a list of new 2009 Annual Report recommen dations in summary form:yyOmbudsman outreach, including the public teleconfer Recommendation 1ence series “How Is It Working for You?”The Ombudsman recommends that USCIS immediatelybegin scanning immigration files that are likely to beneeded for future adjudications. (AR2009-01)For the Ombudsman, it has been a time of transition with anew Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary and achange in office leadership. During the reporting period, theOmbudsman has continued to expand outreach to stakehold ers and review fundamental ways to assist individuals andemployers in their interactions with USCIS.Justification: Millions of historic paper files are necessaryfor future adjudications. Digitizing current cases for futureuse would lessen USCIS’ burden of storing, tracking, andretrieving physical case files and, thereby, increase agencyprocessing efficiency and responsiveness to customers.Digitization of completed Forms I-485 (Application toRegister Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), for example,would streamline the processing of future naturalizationapplications filed by these individuals.Of particular note, during the reporting period, theOmbudsman and USCIS entered into a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MOU), the framework for a constructive du rable relationship between the two Department of HomelandSecurity components. Among other provisions, the MOUAnnual Report to Congress — June 2009vii

Recommendation 2Recommendation 5The Ombudsman recommends that USCIS establish newprotocols to ensure that relevant contract staff consistent ly record all A-file movement as outlined in the RecordsOperations Handbook. (AR2009-02)The Ombudsman recommends that USCIS post a practicaltip sheet on its website to assist stakeholders in providingthe necessary and relevant information for complex EB-1cases. (AR2009-05)Justification: Inconsistent use of USCIS file tracking systemsis the primary reason for lost or misplaced A-files. Contractstaff members are primarily responsible for A-file movementwithin USCIS, as well as to and from other DHS compo nents, and for using USCIS systems to track and transferA-files.Justification: USCIS provides limited information on theadjudicative standards for EB-1 cases; additional guidancewould assist customers to better prepare EB-1 cases for filing.Recommendation 6The Ombudsman recommends that USCIS removereferences to obsolete blood testing methods from theAdjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) and other publishedguidance. (AR2009-06)Recommendation 3The Ombudsman recommends that through the TriBureau Working Group (USCIS, Immigration andCustoms Enforcement (ICE), and Customs and BorderProtection (CBP)), USCIS expeditiously institute manda tory training of all personnel who work with A-files,specifically special agents, investigators, and officers.(AR2009-03)Justification: Lack of a definitive preference for non-invasiveDNA testing – over obsolete forms of blood testing that areneither widely available nor considered as reliable as DNAtests – may confuse USCIS officers and customers alike.Recommendation 7The Ombudsman recommends that USCIS continue tocoordinate with the U.S. Department of State regardingDNA testing procedures and execute a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MOU) with DOS for resource allocationfor DNA evidence gathering and chain-of-custody obser vance abroad. (AR2009-07)Justification: Proper use of USCIS file tracking systems by allwho request or handle A-files is crucial to providing timelycustomer service. While USCIS stores A-files, ICE and CBPalso use them; files travel between USCIS and these com ponents daily. The Tri-Bureau Working Group has openedcommunication lines among these DHS components, butmandatory training is needed to ensure consistent use andcompliance.Justification: When consular monitoring of DNA testingis unavailable, chain-of-custody requirements cannot befulfilled. In the absence of such an agreement, the evidencecollection necessary to respond to Requests for Evidence orNotices of Intent to Deny cannot be submitted.Recommendation 4The Ombudsman recommends that USCIS review pro cessing methods for employment-based petitions betweenthe Nebraska and Texas Service Centers to make AmericanCompetitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21)portability provisions equally available to all customers.(AR2009-04)Recommendation 8The Ombudsman recommends that USCIS designatea USCIS DNA liaison to facilitate discussions betweenUSCIS and the U.S. Department of State, as well as toperiodically provide clarifications for DNA laboratories.(AR2009-08)Justification: The Nebraska and Texas Service Centersprocess concurrently filed employment-based petitions andgreen card applications differently, potentially deprivingcertain individuals of the option to take advantage of legisla tive portability provisions to change employers.Justification: The liaison would coordinate DNA issues andmaintain consistent testing policies among interested parties.Focusing specifically on USCIS’ benefits processing role, theliaison would monitor and address, as needed, procedural,technical, and policy matters.viiiCitizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

Table of ContentsLetter from the Ombudsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vExecutive Summary and Annual Report Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viiList of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiI. Introduction and Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1A. What Is the CIS Ombudsman? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1B. Ombudsman’s Accomplishments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2II. Pervasive and Serious Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3A. Moving Past the Surge: Processing Times and Backlogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3B. USCIS Modernization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8C. Managing the Employment-Based Green Card Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14D. Requests for Evidence (RFEs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17E. Challenges with USCIS Fee Funding Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19F. Customer Service and Public Inquiries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22G. File Transfers and Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28H. USCIS Workforce and Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30I. FBI Name Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35III. Recommendations and Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37A. Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37B. Additional Areas of Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371. Military Naturalizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372. Employment-Based Petitions (I-140s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393. First Preference Priority Worker (EB-1) Immigrant Petitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404. Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415. DNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446. K-3 Family Reunification Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467. Family-Based Petitions (I-130s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47C. 2009 Reporting Period Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471. Motions Matter: Improving the Filing and ReviewProcess for Motions to Reopen and Reconsider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482. Improving the Process for Payment of USCIS Filing Fees and Other Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Annual Report to Congress — June 2009ix

3. Employment Creation Immigrant Visa (EB-5) Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544. Improving the Process for Victims of Human Trafficking andCertain Criminal Activity: The T and U Visa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575. Observations on the E-Verify Experience in Arizona andCustomer Service Enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616. Naturalization Oath Ceremonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647. Improving the Processing of Schedule A Nurse Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678. USCIS Processing Delays for Employment Authorization Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69D. 2008 Reporting Period Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 721. USCIS Refunds of Fees for Immigration Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 722. Petitions Returned by the U.S. Department of State for Revocation/Revalidation . . . . . . . . . . . . 74E. Recommendations in Previous Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77IV. Case Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83V. Ombudsman Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85A. Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85B. E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85C. Teleconferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85D. Ombudsman Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86E. Virtual Ombudsman System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87VI. Ombudsman Priorities and Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89AppendicesAppendix 1:Appendix 2:Appendix 3:Appendix 4:Appendix 5:Homeland Security Act Excerpts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91DHS Organizational Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93Form DHS-7001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102List of Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105xCitizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

List of FiguresFigure 1:Figure 2:Figure 3:Figure 4:Figure 5:Figure 6:Figure 7:Figure 8:Figure 9:Figure 10:Figure 11:Figure 12:Figure 13:Figure 14:Figure 15:Figure 16:BASIC Training for New Adjudicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Naturalization Application Processing Times atUSCIS Field Offices (Apr. 15, 2008) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Naturalization Application Processing Times atUSCIS Field Offices (Apr. 15, 2009) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7FY 2008 Worldwide Usage of Employment-Based Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Number of Web Visits for the NBC Tip Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18RFE Rates for the National Benefits Center (percent) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18RFE Rates for Selected Nonimmigrant Worker Categories (percent) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18USCIS Fee Revenue (sorted by FY 2009 YTD) (1,000s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Pending FBI Name Checks 2006-2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Application Process for SIVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43U.S.-Affiliate and Translator Program Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Nurse Immigrant Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67Consular Returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76CIS Ombudsman Recommendations Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Case Problems, 2009 Reporting Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83“How Is USCIS Working for You?” 2009 Reporting Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Annual Report to Congress — June 2009xi

This page intentionally left blankxiiCitizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

I. Introduction and MissionA. What Is the CIS Ombudsman?During the reporting period, the Ombudsman articulated avision for the office:Section 452 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 estab lished the position of Citizenship and Immigration ServicesOmbudsman (Ombudsman) to be appointed by the Secretaryof the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and reportdirectly to the Deputy Secretary.yyPromote and expand the office’s ability to assist individu als and employers now and in the future;Diligently study issues of humanitarian, family, and eco yynomic importance across the spectrum of immigrationbenefits and services;The office of the Ombudsman submits this Annual Reportto Congress pursuant to 6 U.S.C. § 272(c)(1) regarding theactivities of the Ombudsman1 from May 1, 2008 through April30, 2009.2yyPropose credible solutions, that are impartial and opera tionally sound, to customer-service barriers;Identify best practices and forward-looking business mod yyels to meet future challenges for DHS; andThe modern “Ombudsman” was established in Sweden in1809 to examine citizens’ complaints about the governmentand advocate for fair process. The Ombudsman providesunique perspectives because of its independent status,3impartiality, and ability to obtain input directly from custom ers, stakeholders, and USCIS officials. The Ombudsman alsoprovides an informal way to resolve a problem and seeks toensure confidentiality and privacy.Work cooperatively with government partners to benefityythe public.The Ombudsman encourages efficiency and better customerservice at USCIS by recommending solutions to systemic prob lems in the delivery of immigration benefits5 and by identify ing best practices. Working alongside USCIS, the Ombudsmanalso assists in resolving individual cases.The statutory mission of the Ombudsman is to:4The Ombudsman meets widely and frequently with nongov ernmental stakeholders, such as community-based organiza tions, legal and employer organizations, as well as withUSCIS leadership and employees who have insight into agencyoperations.Assist individuals and employers in resolving problemsyywith USCIS;Identify areas in which individuals and employers haveyyproblems dealing with USCIS; andPropose changes to mitigate identified problems.yy1The term “Ombudsman” refers to the Ombudsman, the staff, andthe Ombudsman’s office.2In limited circumstances, this report includes relevant informationfrom May and June 2009.3Section 452 of the Homeland Security Act (6 U.S.C. § 272) man dates that the Ombudsman report directly to the Deputy Secretaryof DHS (as does the USCIS Director under section 451) and submitan annual report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committeeswithout comment or amendment from DHS officers or employeesor from the Office of Management and Budget.4Homeland Security Act of 2002, § 452; 6 U.S.C. § 272. See Appen dix 1 for excerpts of relevant sections of the Act.Annual Report to Congress — June 2009The Ombudsman’s website is www.dhs.gov/cisombudsman, and theoffice has three e-mail boxes to receive different categories ofpublic correspondence.615“Immigration benefits” is the term used to describe the service sideof the immigration benefits system (contrasted with enforcement).Primary immigration benefits include lawful nonimmigrant status,permanent residence (evidenced by a “green card” and receivedeither after arrival at a port of entry on an immigrant visa or, forthose already present in the United States, upon “adjustment of sta tus”), naturalization, asylum, etc. Secondary immigration benefitsor interim benefits include work permits (i.e., Employment Autho rization Documents, or EADs) and travel documents (e.g., advanceparole) obtained while awaiting a primary benefit.6See section V., “Ombudsman Outreach.”

B. Ombudsman’s Accomplishmentsgovernment agency partners, including representatives fromthe Departments of State, Justice, Commerce, and Labor tofacilitate interagency coordination and communication.During the reporting period, the Ombudsman made eightformal recommendations and numerous informal recom mendations to USCIS. The eight recommendations coveredthe following humanitarian, family, and business issues:(1) improving the motions to reopen/reconsider process;(2) expansion of payment methods for USCIS customers;(3) streamlining EB-5 investor visa processing; (4) challengesin humanitarian categories for victims of trafficking and speci fied criminal activity; (5) the E-Verify program that checksan individual’s employment eligibility; (6) naturalization;(7) immigration processing for foreign nurses; and (8) timelyissuance of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) foreligible applicants.To assist Congress in framing comprehensive immigrationreform, the Ombudsman commissioned a report by the DHSHomeland Security Institute (HSI)8 focused on the resourcesUSCIS would require to effectively register, and issue evidenceof status to, undocumented foreign nationals in the UnitedStates. This objective, non-partisan study builds on otherDHS work to prepare for possible enactment of immigrationreform.The HSI study analyzed two implementation approaches:paper-based registration and processing, and a hybrid ap proach to include elements of digitized and paper-basedprocessing. The study determined that the hybrid approachwould be faster, less expensive, more effective, and involvefewer implementation risks. The Ombudsman will continueto review USCIS’ policies, operations, and workforce issues asCongress debates immigration reform.The Ombudsman continued to focus on assisting individualsand employers with case problems. As discussed furtherin section IV., “Case Problems,” the Ombudsman receivedapproximately 4,100 case problems by U.S. mail or courierservice. The Ombudsman worked to resolve 3,056 case prob lems with USCIS and replied directly to the inquirer in theremaining 1,038 case problems. In addition, the Ombudsmanreceived over 7,200 e-mails during the reporting period.7Working alongside USCIS, the Ombudsman initiated a specialprogram to assist individuals with the processing of delayedEADs, an issue that arose following the 2007 surge in immi gration filings and remained a challenge in 2008 and 2009.The Ombudsman also continued its public teleconferenceoutreach series on issues such as nurse visas, investor visas,DNA testing, and motions to reopen. As in previous reportingperiods, the Ombudsman visited USCIS facilities, includ ing service centers, field offices, and other locations. Thepurpose of these visits was to further understand the issuesthat individuals and employers encountered, identify systemicproblems, and consult with USCIS field offices on proposedsolutions. The Ombudsman also held numerous meetingswith representatives from community-based organizations,employer associations, and the immigration legal com munity. As in prior years, the Ombudsman met with federal7Received at cisombudsman@dhs.gov. The Ombudsman also receivese-mails at cisombudsman.publicaffairs@dhs.gov, primarily in connectionwith the office’s public teleconferences, and at cisombudsman.trends@dhs.gov, to learn about systemic problems and suggestions for fixingthem.82HSI now is called the Homeland Security Studies and AnalysisInstitute.Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

II. Pervasive and Serious ProblemsThe Homeland Security Act, section 452(c)(1)(B), states thatthe Ombudsman’s annual report shall include a “summary ofthe most pervasive and serious problems encountered by indi viduals and employers, including a description of the nature ofsuch problems.” To identify pervasive and serious problems,the Ombudsman meets with nongovernmental stakeholders,including community-based organizations, employer associa tions, and the immigration legal community, as well as USCISpersonnel at Headquarters, service centers, and field offices.The Ombudsman also reviews USCIS statistical reports andrelevant statutes, regulations, policy memoranda, and operat ing procedures. Perhaps most importantly, the case problemsthat individuals and employers submit to the Ombudsmanoften reveal systemic problems.between USCIS and federal partner agencies including the U.S.Department of State (DOS) on managing the green card lineand regarding DNA immigration testing issues, as well as withCustoms and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure that custom ers receive the right information when they contact USCIS’or CBP’s call center. The Ombudsman anticipates facilitatingother interagency meetings in the coming year.A. Moving Past the Surge: ProcessingTimes and BacklogsIn summer 2007, USCIS experienced an unprecedented

Annual Report to Congress — June 2009 vii Executive Summary and Annual Report Recommendations This is the sixth Annual Report prepared by the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (Ombudsman) since the o

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Reading this Publication This publication was written with many different audiences in mind and can be navigated differently depending on the reader’s interest. Part I is an in-depth case study of the Toronto Ombudsman office’s impact on public administration in Toronto, along with a response to this study by the Toronto Ombudsman.

Elder Affairs also operates an Assisted Living Ombudsman Program. The Assisted Living Ombudsman helps to resolve problems or conflicts that arise between an ALR and its residents. To contact an Assisted Living Ombudsman you may call Elder Affairs at (617) 727-7750 or 1-800-AGE- INFO (1-800-243-4636).

Basic LTCOP Structure Centralized A centralized structure is generally defined as an organizational arrangement in which the state ombudsman and all regional/district/local ombudsman representatives of the office are employees of a single entity. Nineteen (19) states and the District of Columbia are organized in the centralized manner.

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