Recent AILA Meeting with U.S. CIS Ombudsman

On Monday, March 9, 2009, two representatives from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman’s Office met with members of the local AILA chapter. The representatives updated AILA members about projects and reports currently underway at the Ombudsman’s office. The office will be issuing two new recommendation reports in the next few months; including one on T (for victims of trafficking) and U visas (for crime victims). In addition, U.S. CIS is currently working with the United States Postal Service to implement a tracking system for applicants’ fee submissions.

The representatives addressed numerous issues of concern regarding immigration applications filed with U.S. CIS, including I-485 and N-400 applications outside of processing times, inappropriate demands for irrelevant information in Request for Evidence (RFE) letters, lack of notifying attorneys of their client’s application approvals, lack of oversight with filing Motions to Reopen with the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) and various other problematic areas. The Ombudsman does have a form that applicants can file with the Ombudsman’s office if they are experiencing problems with their applications. To obtain a copy of DHS Form 7001 and find out more about when you should submit a case problem to the Ombudsman’s office.