Strengthen National Security Safeguards and Combat Fraud

 In FY 2012, USCIS:

• Produced nearly 3.8 million secure identity documents, including:

• More than 2 million Permanent Resident Cards;
• Nearly 1.3 million Employment Authorization Documents;
• 90,000 refugee travel documents and re-entry permits; and
• 335,000 transportation worker identification credentials for the Transportation Security Administration.

• Enhanced document security for the Certificate of Citizenship (form N-560 or N-561). This certificate now has technological features to deter counterfeiting, obstruct tampering, and allow for quick and accurate authentication.

• Worked with the Department of State to streamline security check procedures and ensure the integrity of the refugee resettlement program. This resulted in fewer processing delays for refugee applicants and more effective identification of individuals who may raise security concerns.
• Assigned officers to vital security entities such as the National Joint Terrorism Task Force, the National Counterterrorism Center, DHS offices and components, the Department of State, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Department of Justice.

• Strengthened collaboration with key agencies through increased reporting on fraudulent activities and emerging global trends.

• Helped protect individuals from the risks of the unauthorized practice of immigration law through outreach efforts for individuals at risk of being provided misinformation from non-reputable sources.
• Increased participation in the E-Verify program to 404,295 employers at the end of FY 2012, from 292,624 at the end of FY 2011, an increase of 38%.  E-Verify queries grew from 17.4 million to 21 million, an increase of 21%.  98.79% of all employees were confirmed as work authorized either automatically, or within 24 hours.

• Fortified our processes for screening applicants and petitioners by establishing a new office to centralize and effectively manage the agency’s screening initiatives, address national security threats as soon as they are identified, and develop a comprehensive recurrent vetting strategy to lead DHS biographic and biometric screening initiatives.

• Conducted more than 26,000 site visits under the Administrative Site Visit and Verification Program (ASVVP) and completed over 28,000 administrative fraud investigations.

• Interviewed and processed security checks for more than 76,000 new refugee applicants in approximately 60 countries to support the admission of more than 58,000 refugees to the United States, and also interviewed and performed security checks for 38,000 affirmative asylum applicants within the United States.

• Increased the user base of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program by 38 new agencies to more than 1,000 government agencies, equating to 3.8% growth compared to FY 2011. SAVE processed more than 12 million queries related to immigration status in FY 2012.