The United States has a long history of welcoming immigrants
from all over the globe.
Each year, more than eight million applications, petitions,
and other immigration-related requests are received
by the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS.
Given the complexity and size of the U.S. immigration system,
through the Homeland Security Act of 2002,
Congress established the Office of the Citizenship
and Immigration Services Ombudsman
to act as a liaison between the public and DHS
on immigration benefits.
At the CIS Ombudsman's Office,
our mission is to assist individuals and employers
in resolving problems with U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services, also known as USCIS.
USCIS is the agency responsible for the administration
of immigration benefits, including naturalization,
lawful permanent resident status,
work permits, and asylum.
We also are responsible for studying persistent problems
in the delivery of immigration benefits,
making recommendations to USCIS,
and providing an Annual Report to Congress
that highlights systemic issues encountered
by those seeking immigration benefits.
As an Ombudsman, our office is independent of USCIS,
and we perform our statutory functions in an impartial
and confidential manner -
only sharing information with USCIS
after receiving consent from the individual or employer.
The CIS Ombudsman receives thousands of requests
for case assistance each year.
And we advocate for a fair and consistent process,
not for a specific outcome.
Some examples of our work include:
Assisting an individual who had been brought
to the United States as an orphan
from a displaced persons camp following World War II
gather the evidence needed by USCIS
to replace a lost green card.
In another case, we helped secure delayed
individual employment authorization documents
for seasonal workers employed
at a petitioner's fourth-generation family farm.
And helping an individual secure proof of U.S citizenship
required for a new driver's license.
In this case, more than one naturalization
certificate number had been assigned to this individual.
Working with USCIS, this error was corrected
and we facilitated the issuance
of a replacement Certificate of Citizenship.
Our website makes it easy to submit
a request for case assistance.
You can file online using Form DHS-7001, Case Assistance Form.
There is no fee associated with our services.
However, because our office is a resource of last resort,
you should first attempt to resolve concerns directly
with USCIS through its various public service channels,
which include:
checking Case Status Online,
requesting assistance from the agency using its e-Request tool,
and verifying that your case is outside
of the published processing times.
If you cannot submit our form electronically,
emailing your request is the next best option.
Instructions and a pdf version of Form DHS-7001
are available at www.dhs.gov/case-assistance.
You will need to include key information
such as receipt numbers, USCIS notices,
and other supporting documentation.
At the CIS Ombudsman's Office,
it is our privilege and duty to improve the delivery
of immigration services and benefits
by working with USCIS,
other government partners,
and the public.