INS Responds to Reports of a Moratorium on Adjudications

U.S. Department of Justice
Immigration and Naturalization Service

RESPONSE TO QUERY

Security Checks for Benefits’ Applicants

• The November 13th internal memo from Headquarters Field Operations is a reminder to all field adjudicators to complete all security background checks before making a final adjudication of a naturalization, adjustment of status, or asylum application.  Applications for advance parole and employment authorization documents are subject to IBIS checks and can be processed as in the past.
  
  
• Some benefit applications will take longer to adjudicate than others, depending upon an individual’s specific background.
  
  
• INS wants to determine eligibility for the benefit—we want to ensure that benefits are not granted to ineligible applicants.
  
  
• INS is continuing to process all benefit applications; there is no moratorium.  Cases may not be approved, however, without the completion of the requisite security checks.
  
  
• Since 9/11, ensuring the security of our nation has become the number one priority of INS, and this is just one more example of how we are participating in that effort.
  
  
• We continue to increase our vigilance in light of the 9/11 tragedy, and a reminder to all field adjudicators to be thorough and complete in adjudicating all benefit applications is but one expression of that increased vigilance.
  
  
• All benefit applications will continue to be processed in a timely and equitable basis, given the heightened level of vigilance and security considerations.

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