Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background

A. Purpose

USCIS is the government agency that administers lawful immigration to the United States.^[1] USCIS ensures its employees have the knowledge and tools needed to administer the lawful immigration system with professionalism. USCIS provides accessible, reliable, and accurate guidance and information about benefit requests^[2] and public services.

This part provides guidance on USCIS public services, including case assistance, online tools, feedback, procedures when a person is a member of a special protected class, privacy and confidentiality requirements, and other general administration topics.

B. Background

On March 1, 2003, USCIS assumed responsibility for the immigration service functions of the federal government. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 dismantled the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and separated the agency into three components within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).^[3]

The Homeland Security Act created USCIS to enhance the security and efficiency of national immigration services by focusing exclusively on the administration of benefit applications. The law also formed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to oversee immigration enforcement and border security.

USCIS benefits from a legacy of more than 100 years of federal immigration and naturalization administration.^[4] The Agency History page on USCIS’ website provides information about the agency’s history, presents research from the History Office’s historians, and makes selected historical documents available electronically.

C. Legal Authorities

• Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107–296 (PDF)^[5] – Dismantled the INS and created USCIS to enhance the security and efficiency of national immigration services by focusing exclusively on the administration of benefit applications
• Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a (PDF), as amended^[6] – Establishes a code of fair information practices that governs the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of information about persons that is maintained in systems of records by federal agencies
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Pub. L. 93-112 (PDF)^[7] – Ensuring persons with a disability are not excluded from participation in or subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance or under any program or activity conducted by any federal agency

Footnotes

[^ 1] For more information, see the About Us webpage.

[^ 2] The terms “benefit request” and “immigration benefit request,” as used in this part, include, but are not limited to, all requests funded by the Immigration Examinations Fee Account (IEFA). These terms may also refer to forms or requests not directly resulting in an immigration benefit, such as those resulting in an exercise of prosecutorial discretion by DHS.

[^ 3] See Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107–296 (PDF), 116 Stat. 2135 (November 25, 2002).

[^ 4] See the Organizational Timeline page on USCIS’ website.

[^ 5] See Pub. L. 107–296 (PDF), 116 Stat. 2135 (November 25, 2002).

[^ 6] See Pub. L. 93-579 (PDF), 88 Stat. 1896 (December 31, 1974).

[^ 7] See Section 504 of Pub. L. 93-112 (PDF), 87 Stat. 355, 394 (September 26, 1973).