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02/14/2003 Entry: "INS Advises that Field Offices will continue operations in the same manner Under DHS"

The following is a message from INS Community Affairs Office Regarding Transition to Department of Homeland Security.

Following is from an email received from the INS Community Affairs Office in response to rumors that district offices will be closing upon the transition from INS to DHS. Note that the web address provided in this message is not yet operational.

"We have been hearing rumors … that as of March 3 (the first business day after the transition to DHS) that INS field offices will close. This is totally false, and I presume what we are hearing is a series of badly relayed messages. INS as we know it today will transition into three bureaus in the Department of Homeland Security--Immigration benefits will be handled by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS); interior enforcement will be addressed by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE); and border enforcement will be handled by the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (BCBP).

Customer service functions under the BCIS will include information, forms, benefits, asylum and refugee processing. Even though we have reorganized, the public will continue to find us in the same places: District Offices, Application Support Centers (ASCs), Service Centers and Asylum offices will remain in the same locations. In addition, the public can still call the National Customer Center Call Center at 1-800-375-5283 (1-800-767-1833 for the hearing impaired) and visit the web site at www.BCIS.gov for up-to-date forms and information.

It is critical that the public understand that forms and documents issued by the former INS are still valid and there is no need to replace them at this time.

Documents include, but are not limited to, Alien Registration Cards (green cards), Certificates of Citizenship, Employment Authorization Documents, travel and advance parole documents, Form I-94 Arrival and Departure Record and others. These documents will continue to be valid and accepted by the BCIS and other agencies as evidence of someone's immigration status in the United States.

Finally, the BCIS commitment to service remains as strong as ever. Please feel free to visit your local BCIS office (formerly known as INS District Offices), call us at 1-800-375-5283, or visit our newly redesigned web site at www.BCIS.gov"

Posted on AILA InfoNet at Doc. No. 03021340 (Feb. 13, 2003) .

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