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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Last Updated: November 6, 2017 | Publication

Memo for Nicaragua Designation for Protected Status

November 6, 2017 Memo detailing the relevant provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act pertaining to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) determinations, and information regarding the country conditions in Nicaragua.

Last Updated: November 6, 2017 | Publication

Memo for Honduras Designation for Protected Status

November 6, 2017 Memo detailing the relevant provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act pertaining to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) determinations, and information regarding the country conditions in Honduras.

Last Updated: August 9, 2017 | Publication

DHS/USCIS/PIA-013-01 Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate

The Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services created the Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) Directorate to strengthen the integrity of the nation’s immigration system and to ensure that immigration benefits are not granted to individuals that may pose a threat to national security and/or public safety. In addition, the FDNS Directorate is responsible for detecting, deterring, and combating immigration benefit fraud. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services conducted this Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) update to document and assess how the Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate collects, uses, and maintains personally identifiable information.

Last Updated: July 26, 2017 | Publication

2017 Annual Report Recap

The CIS Ombudsman's Annual Report summary.

Last Updated: June 29, 2017 | Publication

DHS/USCIS/PIA-034 H-1B Visa Cap Registration

In January 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amended the regulations governing H-1B cap-subject petitions and introduced an electronic registration requirement for petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions. This Final Rule required employers seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those who may be eligible for the advanced degree exemption based on the attainment of a bachelor’s or higher academic degree in the specialty field, to first electronically register with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) during a designated registration period. The final rule also reversed the order by which USCIS selects petitions under the H-1B regular cap and the advanced degree exemption. While the cap allocation amendment within the rulemaking went into effect and applied to Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 cap allocations, the electronic registration requirement is now being implemented starting with the FY 2021 cap allocations in March 2020.

Last Updated: June 29, 2017 | Publication

Changes to Requirements Affecting H-2A Nonimmigrants and Changes to Requirements Affecting H-2B Nonimmigrants and Employers Final Rules

December 18, 2008. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is publishing this Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) in conjunction with two Final Rules titled Changes to Requirements Affecting H-2A Nonimmigrants and Changes to Requirements Affecting H-2B Nonimmigrants and Employers.

Last Updated: June 29, 2017 | Publication

Alien Change of Address Card (AR-11)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is required to track address changes of individuals who have a pending or recently approved application, petition, or request form. USCIS is updating this Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for the Alien Change of Address Card (AR-11) to account for the modernization of the data systems that track change of address information. USCIS is in the process of modernizing several systems, including AR-11, by retiring their mainframe applications and transitioning their operations and functions to a cloud environment. USCIS uses three independent systems to collect change of address information from individuals.

Last Updated: June 29, 2017 | Publication

Correspondence Handling and Management Planning System (CHAMPS)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) operates the Correspondence Handling and Management Planning System (CHAMPS) at the Texas Service Center (TSC), which is designed to facilitate workflow management, production evaluation, and time and attendance functions.

Last Updated: June 29, 2017 | Publication

DHS/USCIS/PIA-008 Enterprise Service Bus 2 (ESB 2)

USCIS is updating and reissuing this Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) to document the migration of the Lockbox Intake Service (LIS), Adoption Orchestration Service (AOS), Visa Support Services Project (VSSP), and Refugee Asylum Support Service (RASS) from ESB 2 to EGIS. USCIS fully decommissioned Central Index System Support System (CIN-SS) and no longer needs to use its services. E-Verify no longer uses the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) Hub Service (AHS), but uses the Verification Service to receive data from the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS). USCIS plans to update both the ESB 2 and EGIS PIAs to document the changes to these systems as changes occur. USCIS is updating this Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) to evaluate the privacy risks and mitigations associated with the collection, use, and dissemination of personally identifiable information (PII) by the integrated subsystem services hosted by ESB 2.

Last Updated: June 20, 2017 | Publication

FOIA/PA Information Processing System (FIPS)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), operates the Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act (FOIA/PA) Information Processing System (FIPS) to process Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act requests from any person or entity requesting access to USCIS records. FIPS is being decommissioned and a new system is being designed and developed, named the FOIA Immigration Records System (FIRST), which will ultimately replace FIPS. USCIS is releasing a public-facing portal of FIRST for requesters who choose to receive records electronically, enabling the viewing and downloading of responsive FOIA/PA records.