US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has made a major alteration to its mission statement, excising a passage that refers to the US being a nation of immigrants. The agency’s director, L Francis Cissna, announced the new mission statement to staff members by email, on Thursday.
Cissna said that the new statement offers a clear definition of the role of US Citizenship and Immigration Services in the lawful immigration system of the US and its commitment to the people of the country. The word ‘customers’ was also removed from the new version of the statement because, Cissna said, it created a false impression.
Cissna said that the complicated nature of the work USCIS performs, and its meaningfulness to petitioners and applicants, should not be referred to in commercial or business teams. It implies that the satisfaction of those petitioners and applicants should come first when in reality the proper adjudication of petitions and applicants in accordance with the law should be the major priority.
Cissna also said that the reference caused people to wrongly believe that USCIS exists to serve such petitioners and applicants, instead of the American people. Cissna added that, while all petitioners and applicants should be treated with courtesy and respect, the agency is there to serve the people of America. The Chief of Media Relations at US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Jonathan Withington, said the new statement will take effect immediately.