A Note from the Editors:

Goodbye INS, Welcome BCIS

On March 1st, INS will cease to exist. Its services and benefits functions will be taken over by BCIS - the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services - at the DHS. BCIS has issued a "Welcome" brochure that has answers to Frequently Asked Questions on this new entity. With former INS functions now being scattered all over the new DHS, there are a host of new acronyms and leaders that immigration attorneys must now familiarize themselves with:

• BCBP - Bureau of Customs and Border Protection - led by Robert Bonner, Commissioner of Customs
• BICE - Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - led by Michael Garcia, acting Commisioner of INS
• BCIS - Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services - led by Eduardo Aguirre, former Vice-Chair of the Ex-Im Bank
• CISO - Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman - not yet appointed

As we have previously remarked, the INS's website is well-designed and easy-to-use, thanks in no small part to the INS Web Manager - Gregg Beyer. We are glad to note that much of the current INS site will survive the transition under a new moniker at BCIS. We understand that the look-and-feel of the new BCIS site will stay largely the same as the current INS website.

A time of change is a time for hope. Here's wishing BCBP, BICE, BCIS and the yet-to-be-constituted CISO the best!

Articles

INS Uniforms Made In Mexico, INS Staff Reportedly Unhappy
AmericanPatrol.com reports that the uniforms of the INS's Detention and Removal personnel are made in Mexico and that "The officers of the BP and INS are not happy about this."

Immigration Attorney Indicted
The Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale, Florida reports that a local immigration attorney "was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Miami on 11 counts of conspiring to make false representations in INS petitions."

INS Does Not Give US Citizens Chance To Prove Citizenship In Large Raid In Utah, Motive For Raid Is To Create Job Opportunities For American Workers
The Deseret News of Deseret, UT reports on the large INS raid on a Safe manufacturing facility in Utah: "The raid in Provo sparked immediate complaints from friends and family of the plant's workers. They said U.S. citizens and documented resident aliens were handcuffed and forced to board an INS bus without a chance to prove their citizenship. Brandy Jenkins, Provo, was furious to find out her boyfriend was detained. "I mean, he's a U.S. citizen," Jenkins said. "He was born in Chicago." Because he left his wallet inside his car, he had no proof of citizenship when agents raided the plant. "It's ridiculous," she said, "I mean, I didn't know you had to go to such great lengths to prove you're a citizen." As to motive for this raid, the paper quotes INS spokeswoman Nina Pruneda-Muniz "There will be several opportunities for U.S. citizens and authorized workers to seek job opportunities with the company now."

15 US Residents Released After Being Taken Into Custody Because INS 'Suspected' They Were Here Illegally
Reporting on the large INS raid in Utah, the Casper Star-Tribune of Casper, WY quotes the attorney for the employer "the INS released about 15 workers later Wednesday after they were able to prove they were legal residents." The newspaper also quotes the owner of the manufacturing facility saying ''We had Hispanic employees thrown up against buses, and pulled off the toilet before they could finish their business ... I am outraged that a government of the people would allow this kind of behavior by government officials."

The Delta Regional Authority Physician J-1 Waiver Program
Gregory Siskind writes "As a native of Memphis, Tennessee, which is smack in the middle of the Delta region, I was acutely aware of the need for physicans and was also closely involved in the program's creation."

New Bureau Of Citizenship And Immigration Services To Become Effective 3/1
The Department of Homeland Security's new Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) formerly welcomed everyone and said that "While our name has changed, the way you apply for services and benefits, obtain forms, information and assistance will not change."

Passenger Manifest Required For All Air Carriers Now
Jose Latour writes "More legal requirements, more bureaucracy, more work for Americans... and are we any safer?"

Grants Totaling $9.5M+ Awarded To Assist Trafficking Victims
The Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Director John W. Gillis said, "We will work with our grantees to ensure that these victims are not ignored and that they receive the help they need."

Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the US: 1990 to 2000
Office of Policy and Planning, INS writes "the INS estimates that the total unauthorized immigrant population residing in the US in January 2000 was 7.0 million and is somewhat higher than previous INS estimates."

INS Official Charged With Arranging Sham Marriages
The Miami Herald reported that an immigration official and a paralegal matchmaker conspired to arrange potentially hundreds of "sham marriages" in Miami-Dade County so that the illegal spouses could obtain resident alien cards.

How Do I Apply for Immigration Benefits as a Battered Spouse or Child?
Read a comprehensive answer from INS on how to apply for immigration benefits as a battered spouse/child.

ILW.COM Highlights

Processing Times Updated

Nebraska, California and Vermont Processing Times have been updated.

Letters to Editors

To write to Editors, send emails to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.

None this week.

Immigrant Life

Poll This Week

Are you in favor of America's war with Iraq?

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This week's chat schedule

When	Attorney
Monday, March 3 8:00 pm Eastern Time	Alice Yardum-Hunter, Esq.
Wednesday, March 5 8:00 pm Eastern Time	Mira Mdivani, Esq.
Friday, March 7 8:00 pm Eastern Time	None today

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