June 18, 2007

Immigration Ombuds Cites FBI Delays as Major Immigration Problem

In his annual report to Congress, the Ombudsman for Citizenship and Immigration Services, Prakash Khatri, called the FBI's unexplained delays in checking immigration applications "unacceptable from the standpoint of national security and immigration benefits processing." When political attention is focused on immigration issues and border security, the growing backlog highlights the administrative breakdown and has prompted a flood of federal lawsuits. Khatri said the delays they "may increase the risk to national security by prolonging the time a potential criminal or terrorist remains in the country." He concluded that the agency should end or curtail its use of name checks. (Full CIS Ombuds Report; Executive Summary; Washington Post.)

(Related post US Immigration Officials Rejects Ombuds' Reform Proposal.)

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