June 28, 2024

CIS Ombudsman Issues 2024 Annual Report to Congress

Dear Stakeholder,

Today, the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) submitted our 2024 Annual Report to Congress. This report details some of the most significant issues that stakeholders encountered this year when seeking immigration benefits from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). We provide recommendations on how USCIS can address these problems and improve its administrative processes.

Highlights of the 2024 Annual Report

• Year in Review – An overview of 2023 for both USCIS and the CIS Ombudsman.
• Recommendations for a Proactive Approach to Collecting Biometrics from Asylum Applicants in Removal Proceedings
• Reexamining the Administration of the English Portion of the Naturalization Test
• USCIS’ Prioritization Dilemmas: Lessons from the Form I-601A Backlog
• Lost Mail and the Challenges of Delivering USCIS Documents
• Meeting the Growing Demand for Employment Authorization Documents
• Clarifying Processing Times to Improve Inquiries and Manage Expectations
• Looking Backward, Looking Forward: Thoughts on the Future of USCIS

More Information

We will host a national webinar to discuss this year’s report and gather feedback on Tuesday, July 30 from 1 to 2 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar invitation will be distributed soon.

Please visit our Annual Report to Congress page to read previous reports and the responses from USCIS. Our office also issues formal recommendations to USCIS. You can read these recommendations to USCIS on our Recommendations page.

The CIS Ombudsman is dedicated to assisting individuals and employers seeking to resolve problems they are experiencing with USCIS. For more information on our office, please visit dhs.gov/cisombudsman or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.

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

Resources

• Public Engagement
• Case Assistance
• Annual Report
• FAQs
• Web Alerts
• Immigration Resources

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