Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner Doris Meissner Tuesday announced a reform plan to "untangle" the agency by separating the agency's enforcement and service functions.
"We all share a similar goal--a more efficient, effective immigration system," Meissner told a House Appropriations subcommittee. "We are seeking to improve accountability, consistency and professionalism by fundamentally restructuring the INS."
In response to congressional criticism many feared would lead to the agency's demise, Meissner joined with Attorney General Janet Reno to review possible solutions to INS' challenges.
The plan replaces INS' current "overlapping and frequently confusing organizational structure," with two clear chains of command, Meissner said.
The plan calls for a sharp division between INS' twin missions: Enforcing immigration laws and processing requests for benefits such as citizenship or legal permanent residency. Although the operations would be split and served by different staffs, both would remain under control of INS headquarters in Washington.
On the enforcement side, the plan calls for establishing new jurisdictions around the country called "enforcement areas," which would oversee the Border Patrol and law-enforcement functions related to inspections, investigations and deportations.
On the service side, INS would establish neighborhood-based customer service offices that would provide fingerprinting and interviewing services. Meissner said her goal is to create an "organization geared toward providing consistent and high quality service at every INS office."
"The administration's reform plan will strengthen accountability and improve efficiency and effectiveness by allowing each of the two chains of command to focus on its unique requirements," Reno said in a letter to the subcommittee.
Meissner said most costs of the proposal will "be absorbed within the future growth of the INS."
Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., chairman of the appropriations subcommittee, was not impressed with the plan.
"I think you're trying to rearrange the furniture on the deck of the Titanic," he said. "We're probably asking too much of any one agency ... to manage the overwhelming responsibilities of our immigration system with an agency that is entrenched with inefficiency and ineptitude."
Last year the Commission on Immigration Reform suggested that the administration move many immigration functions to the State and Labor departments.
In January, INS proposed raising 30 different immigration fees, because agency officials said the INS is losing close to $1 million a day providing its services.
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