< back
NEWS BYTES
As the result of increased Congressional funding for the INS, new INS offices are opening in Grand Island and North Platte, Nebraska. The new offices will be staffed by 40 agents, bringing the total agent presence in the Omaha district to 110. About 10 of the new agents have been designated as "quick response" teams, meant to address the unusually high numbers of illegal immigrants along Interstate 80. The INS hopes that by dispersing agents throughout the area the Service will be better able to respond to emergency situations without long delays caused by distance. Plans are also underway for the construction of a 308-bed detention facility in Grand Island.
****
In contrast to the above story, and despite a record .95 billion budget for 1999, INS agents and supervisors say there is not enough money to investigate immigration-related crimes. INS officials in Washington, D.C. deny that the Service is short of funds, but has acknowledged that in the last few weeks some offices have experienced a short-term budget freeze. A large part of the problem, according to Jeff Weber, who oversees the INS budget, is the unexpected increase in rent and telephone costs, as well as a  million judgment against the Service as the result of a suit by employees, and the accidental hiring of 30 too many agents.
****
Specific appropriations in the 1999 budget include 1 million to improve the naturalization process; .8 million to establish 200 quick response teams;  million for construction projects, including .1 million for the Border Patrol; and full funding for 200 new adjudication positions.
****
A special investigation of the U.S. - Mexico border crossing in Nogales, Arizona has resulted in the indictment of three current INS inspectors and one retired agent. The inspectors are charged with accepting bribes in exchange for allowing the passage of cars transporting cocaine into the U.S. Five suspected drug smugglers have also been indicted. According to the indictment, the bribes given were sometimes as high as ,000. The four inspectors are believed to have allowed 20 tons of cocaine into the U.S., only 2,500 pounds of which have been seized. Each of the inspectors faces up to 15 years in prison for each count of bribery, and two of them face charges of importing cocaine, for which they face an additional possible life sentence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has said it will closely monitor each of the six border crossing stations in Arizona for any further evidence of corruption and bribery.
****
The INS and the Bureau of Prisons are negotiating a deal for the Bureau of Prisons to take custody of criminal detainees in the south Florida area, removing them from the less secure INS detention facilities. Both agencies are part of the Department of Justice, which has requested over 0 million to build new prisons, including a detention facility for detainees who cannot be deported. The INS is apparently motivated by recent escapes from their Krome detention center in Miami. There are about 16,000 people currently in INS custody, with 3,742 people in indefinite detention since they have home countries which refuse to accept them.
****
 
The U.S. Census Bureau has opened a new office in Tucson, Arizona, but not in the former INS headquarters, as had been planned. The move was originally planned as an effort to ensure more accurate counting of undocumented immigrants, but was halted when Isabel Garcia, a member of the Border Rights Coalition questioned the message the move would send to Hispanic immigrants. She was pleased with the move and with the prompt response of the Census Bureau in moving the office. Hopefully the swift change in the location will offset any initial negative reaction to the original plan.
****
Green cards are now being produced by each of the INS Regional Service Centers and an INS facility in Corbin, Kentucky with the exception of the Nebraska Service Center. The NSC has a machine that is being retrofitted, but it is expected to be up by March. The INS claims that card processing times have already dropped dramatically from the long times seen last year. The American Immigration Lawyers Association is still reporting several thousand cases that are still not being processed and that attempts to get answers from the INS on the status of the cases have not been satisfactory. The INS and AILA will be discussing the issue in future meetings. 
****
Problems are cropping up with processing of nurse adjustment cases. INS Service Centers are sending out Requests for Evidence asking for documents like CGFNS certification and TOEFL test results. This documentation is required under the new INS nurse immigration regulations. The difficulty is in meeting the 90 day limit imposed by the Request for Evidence. Obtaining this documentation within 90 days may be impossible since the regulations just became effective in December and receiving the documents quickly is difficult and it may not be possible to receive exam results quickly since the tests are only offered periodically. The INS recognizes this problem but INS regulations only allow for 90 days for evidence requests. The INS will advise the American Immigration Lawyers Association soon on how they intend to address this problem.
****
AILA is reporting that the Texas Service Center has returned a number of applications for the new higher filing fees even though immigration lawyers can prove the US Post Office attempted to deliver the packages. Apparently, the INS boxes were closed on Saturday October 10th and the applications were returned. The TSC responded to AILA by stating "Delivery of an application to the TSC post office box does not constitute a filing. The filing is accomplished only after it has been received the fee accepted by INS." This response will no doubt draw criticism and could possibly be challenged in court since the INS often will not issue fee receipts for several weeks after an application is filed.