Mayorkas Discusses USCIS Goals for 2011; VIBE System Introduced

On February 17, 2011, Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), held a press conference at which he discussed the agency’s goals for 2011 and a policy review already underway. The agency’s goals and planned activities for 2011 include, among others:

• Piloting the Validation Instrument for Business Enterprises (VIBE) tool, which uses commercially available information from Dun & Bradstreet to validate evidence submitted by companies petitioning to employ a foreign worker in the U.S.
• Promoting consistency in the administration of immigration laws and adjudication policies as part of a comprehensive policy review, and updating policies where necessary
• Issuing precedent decisions from the Administrative Appeals Office on a regular basis
• Combating fraud, including the unauthorized practice of law
• Expanding outreach efforts for E-Verify, which is currently expanding at a rate of approximately 1,300 new employers per week

USCIS has begun beta-testing the VIBE system. USCIS promised that it will give employers an opportunity to respond when the VIBE system leads to agency concerns regarding the business. Ivener & Fullmer recommends that clients check their profile and make sure that the major areas (company address for example) are correct to avoid requests for evidence in the future. Contact your immigration attorney for guidance.

The transcript of the press conference is available here as a PDF.