USCIS
Class action lawsuit alleges data consolidation within USCIS is illegal
Plaintiffs represented by a coalition of advocacy groups have argued that drawing searchable data from other government agencies into a system maintained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services “far exceed” that system’s scope.
COVID prompts USCIS' pivot to video
Social distancing requirements under the pandemic led to the acceleration of a modernization plan that included adding video feeds to the asylum interview process.
House passes stopgap spending bill
The current appropriations bills are set to expire on Oct. 1; the bill now goes to the Senate where it is expected to pass.
House tees up continuing resolution to avoid Oct. 1 shutdown
Protected leave for federal health workers and a USCIS funding measure are included in the stopgap bill.
USCIS cancels furloughs
The planned furloughs of more than 13,000 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services employees set for Aug. 30 have been called off, the agency announced today.
GAO: DHS acting secretary, top deputy were appointed illegally
Top acting officials at DHS were appointed without regard for laws in place governing agency succession, according to a Government Accountability Office legal opinion.
With furloughs looming, union pleads for deal on USCIS funding
The immigration agency is seeking $1.2 billion to keep employees working through an anticipated financial shortfall it links to the pandemic.
USCIS postpones planned furloughs
A top appropriator vows to address potential future furloughs in next COVID-related legislative package.
Lawmakers ask DHS leaders to postpone USCIS furloughs
The immigration agency is now set to end FY2020 with surplus, and two Senate appropriators are asking for a pause on furloughs while Congress negotiates supplemental funding to offset 2021 shortfalls.
House Appropriators pass DHS funding bill
Passage comes a day after union leaders warn about impacts of looming USCIS furloughs.
House's DHS funding bill would create public-private cyber center
The legislation would give $2.25 billion to DHS' cyber wing and set up an integrated cybersecurity center with other agencies, state and local governments and private industry.
USCIS anticipates major furloughs
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is staring down the prospect of having to furlough almost three-fourths of its workforce.
Union heads urge caution as DHS looks to resume normal operations
As the Department of Homeland Security considers the process of resuming normal operations, unions representing agency employees are calling on agency leadership to ensure that personnel have adequate resources to protect against exposure to COVID-19.
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Why feds shouldn't fear GitHub
Agencies shouldn't be afraid to leverage open-source tools like GitHub during software development, a USCIS IT official said.
DHS maps out data sharing with Census Bureau
Data on travel, immigration and enforcement from the Department of Homeland Security will be used by the Census Bureau as part of a plan to determine the number of immigrants and non-citizens residing in the U.S. in the 2020 population count.
DHS acquisitions are steady despite CIO departure
Technology procurement at the Department of Homeland Security remains on steady ground despite the departure of CIO Dr. John Zangardi earlier this month for an industry job, according to the agency's top acquisition official.
Advanced tech and human operators
Artificial intelligence and machine learning tools are helping perform cybersecurity tasks, but humans remain central to the process, experts say.
McAleenan resignation puts the spotlight on DHS vacancies
Ten of the most senior posts at the Department of Homeland Security are held by acting leaders, and only five have candidates in the Senate confirmation pipeline.
Acquisition frozen at DHS due to the shutdown
The Department of Homeland Security acknowledged that the government shutdown, now over a month old, is hampering the ability of the agency to respond to contract solicitations.
State Department wants to ask all visa applicants about their social media activity
For the millions who seek a U.S. visa every year, giving up social media information and history may become a required step.
DHS pursues cases exploiting biometric data gaps
A federal judge's recent order denaturalizing a naturalizing U.S. citizen shows how efforts to remedy a digital fingerprint gap are working.
