James McCant, Chief, Office of Congressional Relations

James W. McCament currently serves as the Chief of USCIS Office of Congressional Relations.  In that capacity he oversees the USCIS interaction with Members of Congress and their staff on matters of legislative development, immigration policy, USCIS operations and individual cases of interest.  In addition, his responsibilities as Chief include development and management of the National Congressional Strategic Plan which is implemented by both the Operations and Legislative Activity Branches at Congressional Headquarters as well as the over 120 USCIS Congressional Liaisons operating within USCIS domestic offices.

Before leading the Office of Congressional Relations, James served as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Field Office Director in Havana, Cuba.  As such, he was responsible for managing the USCIS office located at the U.S. Interests Section (USINT) in the Swiss Embassy in Havana, Cuba.  His responsibilities included supervision of the approval of the approximately 6,000 Cuban refugees annually departing Cuba and overseeing adjudication of approximately 18,000 of the 20,000 travel documents issued each year under the 1994 U.S. Cuba Migration Accords. 

Prior to arriving in Havana, James served from February 2006 to March 2008 as Senior Counselor to the Director of USCIS with a portfolio of responsibility for strategic analysis and advice regarding key mission, operational, political and inter-agency USCIS and DHS matters including long-term leadership roles in the Department's immigration reform operational planning efforts from the summer of 2004 until departing for Havana. 

From September 2003 until joining USCIS in February 2006, James held the position of Special Advisor to the Secretary of DHS.  In that capacity he advised first Secretary Ridge and then Secretary Chertoff regarding a spectrum of key departmental political and operational subject areas as well as policy issues prior to the creation of the DHS Policy Office.  In addition, in 2005 he played a key role on behalf of the Office of the Secretary in the preparation of fourteen Departmental candidates for successful Senate confirmation including the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, General Counsel and other senior headquarters and agency appointees.