Course

Course Summary
Credit Type:
Course
ACE ID:
USCI-0004
Organization's ID:
G_USCIS_RAIO-CTP
Location:
Classroom-based
Length:
4.5 weeks (180.5 hours)
Dates Offered:
Credit Recommendation & Competencies
Level Credits (SH) Subject
Lower-Division Baccalaureate 3 Homeland Security, Security Studies, or Immigration Law
Description

Objective:

The course objective is to provide a foundational training that teaches new RAIO officers the laws, policies, interviewing techniques, analytical and decision-making skills relevant to the core adjudications of all RAIO divisions. It focuses on the domestic and international legal underpinnings of the U.S. refugee protection system, as well as the procedures and adjudication skills common to all RAIO divisions.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Read and analyze case law, identify legal elements, and correctly apply the various sources of law and precedent decisions to the evidence in order to construct legally sufficient refugee & asylum determinations and decisions
  • Elicit all relevant information and correctly determine when an applicant is ineligible for a grant of asylum or refugee status because s/he was involved in the persecution of others on account of a protected ground or because s/he was firmly resettled in a third country and articulate appropriate reasons in support of the determination
  • Identify, verify, and evaluate fraud indicators and determine whether to request assistance to investigate fraud-related activity
  • Evaluate claims involving gender and/or the violation of societal norms associated with gender and identify factors that may impact the adjudication of such claims
  • In a non-adversarial manner, elicit all relevant information and create a clear record of all relevant information necessary to correctly adjudicate a claim for asylum or refugee status, including applying relevant adjudicative and procedural guidance
  • Correctly evaluate the evidence and the overall credibility of the applicant to determine whether an applicant meets his or her burden of proof to be eligible for the requested relief based on the appropriate evidentiary standards and articulate appropriate reasons supporting your credibility determination
  • Identify national security (NS) indicators and concerns, elicit all relevant information from an applicant, and properly adjudicate the case
  • Identify terrorism-related inadmissibility ground (TRIG) indicators, elicit all relevant information from an applicant, document TRIG-related findings in the file, and properly analyze the facts and relevant law to make a legally sufficient decision on the applicant's admissibility/eligibility for protection
  • Research relevant country of origin information in order to prepare for, interview (where applicable), and adjudicate requests for asylum or refugee status and other adjudications in the RAIO directorate
  • Weigh discretionary factors properly and articulate your exercise of discretion in a written decision when appropriate

General Topics:

  • USCIS/RAIO overview, mission, and core values
  • Overview of UNHCR and international human rights law
  • U.S. laws, policies, and procedures related to refugee and asylum adjudications
  • Interviewing techniques and eliciting testimony
  • Working with vulnerable populations
  • Researching Country of Origin Information (COI) and legal research
  • Legal analysis and decision making
  • Fraud detection and National Security, Terrorist Related Inadmissibility Grounds (TRIG), and bars
Instruction & Assessment

Instructional Strategies:

  • Audio Visual Materials
  • Case Studies
  • Classroom Exercise
  • Computer Based Training
  • Discussion
  • Laboratory
  • Learner Presentations
  • Lectures
  • Practical Exercises

Methods of Assessment:

  • Examinations
  • Performance Rubrics (Checklists)
  • Quizzes
  • Written Papers

Minimum Passing Score:

70%
Supplemental Materials