The Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) may carry firearms, investigate those who violate migratory laws, execute registration and arrest orders, in addition to exercising other usual powers of federal US security bodies.
The new rule, published in the Federal Registry, also grants the Director of USCIS the ability to order expedited deportations and investigate civil and criminal violations of immigration laws under the jurisdiction of the agency.
USCIS pointed out in a statement that it will have a greater capacity to support the efforts of the National Security Department (DHS) by managing investigations from beginning to end, instead of sending certain cases to the National Security Research Unit (HSI) within the customs immigration and control service (ICE).
The rule, which will enter into force 30 days after its publication, will allow ICE, HSI and the Office of Compliance and Deportation Operations (ERO, in English) to concentrate on dismantling transnational crime and capturing and deporting undocumented immigrants.
USCIS may expedite the elimination of arrears from cases of foreigners who seek to “exploit the migratory system through fraud, process them and expel them from the country,” said the agency in the statement.
The Federal Agency plans to recruit and train “special agents” that these new faculties will exercise and will be classified as USCIS 1811.
This measure allows USCIS to implement the delegation of certain powers conferred by the Secretary of National Security, Kristi Noem to fully comply “with its national security missions, fraud detection and public protection related to immigration processes.”
“As Secretary Noem delegated legal powers to expand the agency’s application capabilities, this rule allows us to fulfill our critical mission,” said Joseph B. Edlow, director of USCIS.
He added that the norm “will allow to face migratory crimes better, hold those who commit migratory fraud and act as a force multiplier for the DHS and our federal security partners, including the joint task force against terrorism.”
The rule will enter into force 30 days after publication in the Federal Registry.
(With EFE report)
