The CIS Ombudsman’s Listening Session: Get to Know DHS’s New Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman

Thursday, October 14,  2021

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time 

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) invites stakeholders to participate in a listening session to learn about DHS’s new Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman  on Thursday, October 14, 2021 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET.

During this session, the CIS Ombudsman will engage in a conversation with the Acting Immigration Detention Ombudsman, David Gersten, and some of his staff, to introduce DHS’s new office, provide an overview of its mission, and gather input from stakeholders. The Immigration Detention Ombudsman is a separate office from the CIS Ombudsman and is independent of both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Congress mandated that DHS establish this new office to assist individuals with complaints about the conditions of immigration detention, conduct oversight of detention facilities, and develop policy recommendations related to immigration detention in the United States.

The CIS Ombudsman’s engagement will be an information sharing and gathering session. Participants may submit written questions and comments during the engagement. We invite you to register for this webinar using the link below.

RSVP

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Find out the many ways on how the CIS Ombudsman works for you.

CIS Ombudsman Customer Satisfaction Survey: Please complete the CIS Ombudsman Customer Satisfaction Survey. We appreciate your feedback.

CIS Ombudsman’s Annual Reports: By statute, the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman submits an Annual Report to Congress by June 30 of each year. The CIS Ombudsman’s Annual Report must provide a summary of the most pervasive and serious problems encountered by individuals and employers applying for immigration benefits with USCIS. The Annual Report also reviews past recommendations to improve USCIS programs and services. Click here to view current and past Annual Reports. 

Public Engagement: The CIS Ombudsman meets with stakeholders across the country to learn how the delivery of immigration benefits and services impacts communities and to share information about how our office can help. Please visit our website if you want to learn more about our outreach efforts. 

Asking the CIS Ombudsman for Help: The CIS Ombudsman provides an impartial and independent perspective to USCIS in an attempt to resolve problems with pending cases. The CIS Ombudsman does not have the authority to make or change USCIS decisions. Before contacting the CIS Ombudsman, you must first try to resolve your problem through USCIS customer service avenues. Learn more on how the CIS Ombudsman can help here. 

Recommendations: The CIS Ombudsman identifies systemic problems that individuals and employers face when seeking services from USCIS and makes recommendations with the goal of influencing change and improving the services at USCIS for both those who apply for and those who administer immigration benefits. In addition to the formal reviews and recommendations that the CIS Ombudsman issues to USCIS, we also work in less formal ways to identify emerging issues and begin discussions with USCIS about how problems can be addressed. Find out more information about recommendations by the CIS Ombudsman. 

Contacting the CIS Ombudsman: Have questions regarding case assistance inquiries and stakeholder engagements? Contact the CIS Ombudsman. 

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