Course

Objective:

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify how past immigration events and policy influences today's USCIS role in U.S. immigration
• Know the criteria of nonimmigrant classifications
• Demonstrate knowledge of techniques provided to conduct an effective interview
• Provide information regarding benefits related to asylum or refugee status to such persons, referring them for processing according to regulations, policy and operational instructions
• Verify status and employment authorization of employees
• Identify and assess the employment-based petition, the classification requested, and overall eligibility for approval of the petition
• Make an adjudicative decision in accordance with statutory, regulatory, and USCIS policy
• determine the applicant's eligibility to qualify for permanent resident status
• Identify and utilize the Adjustment of Status Processing Worksheet to foster accuracy and consistency in the adjustment of status adjudication process
• Identify the purposes, processes and eligibility requirements for the adjudication. The Adjudicator will also be able to identify certain unique aspects and benefits that derive from these programs, including employment authorization, renewal of status and petitioning for relatives
• Identify and correctly apply the appropriate statutes, regulations, court decisions, and policy guidance governing the naturalization application
• Write a decision that is properly structured, legally sound, and comprehensible to the recipient and any reviewing administrative or judicial authority
• Identify bars to such an application based upon security, persecutor, and aggravated felony grounds
• Understand the security check process and specify criteria for identifying a national security concern
• Identify the different avenues of administrative and judicial appeal available to the petitioner and/or applicant, and identify the roles of the adjudicator and USCIS counsel in these processes
• Articulate the immigration benefit fraud and make a referral to the appropriate component for further inquiry or make an adjudicative decision
• Identify and apply the statutory authority, regulations, court decisions and policy guidance in order to determine whether and how the benefit should be withdrawn
• Identify the process of drafting an Notice to Appear (NTA) which is consistent with the NTA standard operating procedures and legal and procedural requirements
• Determine if the applicant or petitioner has met the burden of proof and verify that applicable standards of proof for the benefit sought have been met.
• Display appropriate communication skills consistent with professionalism in the workplace
• Identify and apply the law, regulations, court decisions and policy and procedural guidance in order of priority
• Identify whether the principle of jus soli or jus sanguinis applies, and will be able to use nationality charts to determine the citizenship of an individual, and the manner of acquisition of such citizenship
• Identify logical reasoning and logical fallacies that are used in written communications within the organization
• Identify techniques used in conducting an effective interview
• Identify the steps necessary to process Application for Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-600), an Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate (Form N-600K), or Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document (N-565) to completion
• Determine the admission status of the applicant in order to determine eligibility based on such admission status, for the benefit sought
• Identify eligibility consistent with statutory, regulatory and USCIS policy requirements which govern each respective benefit
• Determine whether the applicant is eligible to apply for a waiver of the ground of inadmissibility
• Verify the identity of supporting documents based on established criteria for contract employees from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Forensic Document Laboratory
• Provide the customer with correct, clear, concise and consistent information while maintaining a professional demeanor and representing DHS and USCIS
• Make an adjudicative decision (on employment authorization application or an application for advance parole) which is consistent with statutory, regulatory and USCIS policy requirements which govern each respective benefit
• Identify the governing jurisdiction after a thorough review of the administrative file
• Determine the appropriate process for case completion in accordance with 8 C.F.R. and policy guidance
• As well as naturalization-specific security-related bars and exceptions
• Distinguish between 'prosecutorial' discretion and 'adjudicative' discretion and properly weigh discretionary factors and articulate the exercise of discretion in a written decision
• Identify the Terrorist-Related Inadmissibility Grounds (TRIG) grounds of inadmissibility and determine whether or not the grounds apply. If a TRIG ground does apply, the officer will determine if an exemption is available, and correctly apply the relevant inadmissibility ground(s) and USCIS policy to adjudicate the exemption(s)
• Identify whether the amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) made by the Adam Walsh Act apply, and will determine how to proceed with the adjudication in compliance with those amendments
• Identify the tools to deliver effective customer service without comprising the national security of the United States
• Identify if the case requires a heightened level of confidentiality in accordance with applicable law, regulation, or policy

General Topics: