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No Immediate Impact for Immigrants and Visa Holders On November 14, 2001, Attorney General John Ashcroft and U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Commissioner James Ziglar announced a major restructuring of the INS into two separate law enforcement and service providing divisions. The goal is to improve the functioning of these two components which both suffer from ineffectiveness. "President Bush is concerned that the INS has been hindered by the current structure of the agency to perform its responsibilities of welcoming new immigrants and protecting our borders by enforcing immigration laws," Attorney General John Ashcroft said. Implementation of the plan will begin shortly, with completion scheduled for September 30, 2003. The INS will split into a Bureau of Immigration Enforcement and a Bureau of Immigration Services. "The separation of these functions, while retaining a single agency head to ensure appropriate coordination, balance and policy leadership, will help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency and, in turn, the nation's immigration system," according to an INS statement. It does not appear that the plan will have any direct effect on immigrants and visa holders currently in the United States, nor will there be any immediate improvement of delays in processing applications for immigration benefits. Details of the restructuring are available at the INS Web site. Separating the law enforcement and service functions of the INS has been a goal of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and other groups for some time. The conflicting missions of the enforcement and adjudication branches are a significant factor in the management and administrative difficulties within the INS. BAL will continue to monitor the implementation of the INS restructuring, and will report on any significant developments.
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