The U.S. immigration agency plans to significantly reduce its presence abroad, a...
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK - The U.S. immigration agency plans to significantly reduce its presence abroad, according to an internal e-mail seen by Reuters and current and former U.S. officials, in an effort to shift resources to domestic offices that took some career officials by surprise.
The move comes as the Trump administration has worked in the past two years to limit both legal and illegal immigration with cuts to the U.S. refugee program and USCIS stepping up vetting of visa applications. USCIS Director Francis Cissna sent a message on Tuesday to all agency employees saying the agency is preparing for discussions that would lead to shifting much of its international workload to its U.S. offices for domestic processing, as well as to U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
“As we have internally shared, USCIS is in preliminary discussions to consider shifting its international USCIS office workloads to USCIS domestic offices in the United States and, where practicable, to U.S. embassies and consulates abroad,” agency spokeswoman Jessica Collins said in an e-mail to Reuters.
One of the responsibilities of the overseas offices is to help process refugee applications. But the Trump administration’s reduction of refugee admissions has reduced that part of the offices’ workload. But the closure of all overseas USCIS offices represent a shift in the agency’s operations and came as a surprise to some employees.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Record Immigration Surge at U.S.-Mexico Border to Accelerate, Government ProjectsNearly 180,000 more migrants travelling as families are expected to cross the border into the U.S. by May, according to official estimate from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Read more »
U.S. set to close international immigration officesU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services plans to close all its international field offices, according to three people familiar with the decision
Read more »
House Democrats to make broad immigration proposal offering 2 million to apply for U.S. citizenshipSpeaker Nancy Pelosi says new “Dream and Promise” bill is one of top priorities as many could face deportation under Trump administration.
Read more »
Record-breaking family migration overwhelming border agency, U.S. officials sayThe number of migrant families crossing the southwest border is again breaking records, and the crush is overwhelming border agents and straining facilities, officials said Tuesday.
Read more »
Senators ask U.S. border agency about reported tracking of journalistsTwo senior U.S. senators asked U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Monday to p...
Read more »
US disaster agency rejects $306M for California dam repairThe federal government has rejected $306 million in reimbursements for California's repair of damaged spillways on the nation's tallest dam, a state agency said Friday. California has so far requested about $639 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Oroville Dam...
Read more »
Russian Linked to Manafort Is a Shadowy PresenceA federal judge called Konstantin Kilimnik, a Ukrainian-born colleague of Paul Manafort, an 'undisputed core' of Mueller’s investigation. Here’s why intrigue surrounding him is likely to endure.
Read more »
State Department vacancies increasing security risks overseas, report findsA new report from the government accountability office found that the State Department faces chronic overseas staffing vacancies that could negatively impact embassy security and its 'ability to achieve U.S. foreign policy goals and help ensure secure and efficient operations.'
Read more »
NYC's famous Chrysler Building reportedly finds an overseas buyerSigna Holding GmbH, Austria's largest privately owned real estate company, will buy the iconic Chrysler Building in New York City in partnership with property firm RFR Holding LLC for about $150 million, sources say.
Read more »
California lawmakers accepted $810,000 in gifts and overseas trips in 2018Annual economic disclosure reports shed light on how state legislators can augment their annual $110,459 salaries with gifts that allow them to travel the world and eat at expensive restaurants, often in the company of corporate executives seeking to influence their decisions.
Read more »