[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 107 (Monday, August 3, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE RESTRUCTURING ACT OF 1998

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                          HON. MELVIN L. WATT

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 31, 1998

  Mr. WATT of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the 
Immigration and Naturalization Service Restructuring Act of 1998, which 
contains provisions to implement dramatic and fundamental reforms 
within the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Significant 
management weaknesses, poor services, overlapping organizational 
relationships, and inadequate border control are problems that have 
plagued the INS for many years. Many Members and their office staffs 
receive calls daily from constituents unable to get assistance with 
immigration related problems from their local INS' office. We need to 
change the way the INS does business.
  After careful consideration of all pending restructuring proposals, I 
believe the proposal offered by INS is the best alternative. This bill 
will untangle the INS' overlapping and confusing organizational 
structure and replace it with two clear organizational chains of 
command--one to accomplish its enforcement mission and the other to 
provide immigration related services. Key provisions of the bill would: 
effect an operational split between enforcement and services which 
would result in distinct, clear lines of authority from the field and 
headquarters, with the INS Commissioner continuing to the responsible 
for overall agency operations; eliminate the current field structure in 
which district offices serve both enforcement and service functions and 
replace it with separate enforcement and service offices that bring an 
appropriate mix of staff and skills to local service caseloads and 
enforcement needs; improve the quality of the workforce by creating 
separate enforcement and service career paths for INS employees to 
allow the best employees to move up the ladder and be rewarded for high 
performance; restructure management operations to ensure effective 
``shared services'' operations for records and data management, 
technological support, training and administrative support, that will 
serve both the enforcement and service sides of the agency; and 
establish a Chief Financial Officer to improve financial, accounting 
and budget systems.
  The overall mission of immigration is best served by coordinating 
benefits and enforcement in a single entity like the INS. Both benefits 
and enforcement are critical components to enforcing effectively our 
immigration laws. This bill sets forth a structure for the INS to 
improve the Nation's immigration system.

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