CIS OMBUDSMAN RELEASES 2023 ANNUAL REPORT
On June 30, 2023, the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Ombudsman released its 2023 Annual Report. This report provides a summary of the most pervasive and serious problems encountered by individuals and employers applying for immigration benefits with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It also reviews past recommendations to improve USCIS programs and services.
This year’s CIS Ombudsman assessed requests for evidence (RFEs) in L-1 intracompany transferee petitions, including RFEs issued for extension petitions for the L-1A and L-1B nonimmigrant categories.
Additionally, the Annual Report discusses the increased demand for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). USCIS has taken steps to address its backlogs, but processing times continue to increase. To enhance its management of these populations, CIS encouraged USCIS to consider the following operational changes:
Post the processing times for each population seeking TPS to inform applicants of their real wait times for status, work authorization, and travel authorization.
Better educate employers and benefit-granting agencies on how to verify employment eligibility and proof of status of TPS beneficiaries to ease fears of non-compliance.
Eliminate the separate employment authorization document (EAD) application for TPS applicants.
Consider pursuing legislative changes to extend TPS designation periods.
Increase case processing through technological solutions
The Annual Report includes recommendations about customer experience, the unprecedented use of all employment-based immigrant visas, the growing humanitarian mission of USCIS, and more. To view the 2023 Annual Report, click here. Source
