World
15:38, 23-Feb-2018
US immigration agency website removes mention of immigrants from official mission
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The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a new mission statement – one that focuses on “securing the homeland” and “protecting Americans” – while removing any mention of America’s promise as a “nation of immigrants.”
USCIS is tasked with processing visas and green cards for prospective US citizens. The overhaul expunges a phrase long used by American politicians to describe the makeup of the country and takes up a protective tone in relaying its new relationship to potential citizens.
Prior to Thursday, the mission statement detailed the ways it could help further the citizenship process, stating:
“USCIS secures America’s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system.”
What is shown on the website today takes on the new dimension of safeguarding the nation, reading:
“US Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the nation’s lawful immigration system, safeguarding its integrity and promise by efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benefits while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honoring our values.”
In an internal email to USCIS employees, and shared with the Intercept, director L. Francis Cissna wrote, “I believe this simple, straightforward statement clearly defines the agency’s role in our country’s lawful immigration system and the commitment we have to the American people.”
Though the change will likely not alter how the agency operates, it is a symbolic move that reflects the Trump administration’s broader policy on immigration and refugees.
Last September, the Trump administration announced they would phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program by March 5, 2018. Established by the Obama administration, DACA allowed people who arrived in the US as children a pathway towards citizenship. With the deadline imminent, if leadership is unable to reach a deal, those protected under DACA would risk being deported.
The administration has also set a historic low cap on the number of refugees the US would accept in the 2018 fiscal year. With a cap of 45,000, in practice the International Rescue Committee projects that only 21,292 refugees would be accepted. Since legislation was passed in 1980 allowing US presidents to set a ceiling for refugees, the number had never dipped below 67,000 set by Ronald Reagan in 1986.