ROYBAL-ALLARD PASSES AMENDMENT TO BILL TO REFORM THE IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE

Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard today passed an amendment to the Barbara Jordan Immigration Reform and Accountability Act to require the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to keep records on why there is a vast discrepancy in denial rates for applications and petitions across the country. The Office of Immigration Statistics, a part of the Department of Justice's Office of Statistics, will collect the information.

"At present, the INS cannot explain why its refusal rates vary dramatically across the country," said Roybal-Allard. "This amendment mandates that the INS become accountable to its clients by collecting data on the reasons for denying immigrant applications and petitions."

The statistics obtained through the Roybal-Allard amendment will help ensure fairness in the immigration system and help Congress and the Department of Justice provide effective oversight of the immigration system. It will also help them to more easily identify fraudulent activity and take corrective action.

"My amendment is good policy and will help restore confidence in this important Agency in the eyes of Congress, and, more importantly, the American people."

Equally important, this information will be useful in assisting immigrants in avoiding potential problems. For example, if many denials in a particular area are because of poor ESL & Civics exam scores, immigrant advocacy groups could focus resources on that problem.

The Roybal-Allard amendment is part of a broader bill, the Barbara Jordan and Immigration Reform and Accountability Act, which is designed to restructure the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

"This bill begins the much-needed process of reforming the INS," said Roybal-Allard. "By making these changes, the INS will be better equipped to safeguard our national security and provide timely and responsive service to immigrant families."

This legislation would dissolve the INS and create two separate bureaus, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Bureau of Immigration Enforcement. A new Associate Attorney General for Immigration Affairs would oversee both bureaus.

There has been some concern that dividing the INS into two bureaus would lead to an unequal distribution of resources between them.

"Congress must be vigilant in ensuring that the Service bureau receives its fair share of funding," said Roybal-Allard. "Adequate funding for services will be critical to reducing the backlog of immigration cases."

The INS has faced a great deal of public criticism for its slow response time.

"Currently, INS bureaucracy leads to delays that impose hardships on tens of thousands of immigrants," said Roybal-Allard. "There have been unfortunate and indefensible cases where fingerprints were lost, paperwork misplaced, and families separated. We cannot allow a government agency to continue to function if it unfairly penalizes families by keeping them apart for years due to bureaucratic deficiencies. Family reunification and national security must be the guiding principles of our immigration policy."

"Immigration is the cornerstone of our nation's history and success," concluded Roybal-Allard. "Immigrants deserve fair and just treatment, and a timely resolution to their cases. Restructuring the Immigration and Naturalization Service will be good for our nation's security, lead to improved services for immigrants, and, hopefully, address the needs of all Americans."

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Congresswoman Roybal-Allard
Washington, D.C., Office: 2330 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-1766. Fax: (202) 226-0350.
District Office: 255 E. Temple St., Ste. 1860, Los Angeles, CA 90012-3334. Phone: (213) 628-9230. Fax: (213) 628-8578.