Naturalization of Aliens: Assessment of the Extent to Which Aliens Were Improperly Naturalized

• NCJ Number: 169800
• Author(s): L E Ekstrand
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 9 pages
• Sale Source: Azimuth Inc.; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Legislative Hearing/Committee Report
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Statement of Laurie E Ekstrand Before the National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice Subcommittee, Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, and Immigration and Claims Subcommittee, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives on March 5, 1997

Annotation

March 1997 testimony by the Associate Director, Administration of Justice Issues, of the General Accounting Office's General Government Division before the House of Representatives commented on Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) requirements for naturalizing aliens and the extent to which aliens may have been improperly naturalized.

Abstract

The INS requires that aliens applying for naturalization submit fingerprint cards with their applications. These cards must to include a complete set of fingerprints and other identifying information such as name and date of birth. The INS is required to send fingerprint cards to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to determine if an alien has a criminal history record on file. Prior audit reports have identified problems related to the naturalization process. The audit reports indicate that the INS has not verified all fingerprints submitted by applicants for naturalization and permanent residency actually belong to the aliens who submit them. In addition, the audit reports point out that INS examiners sometimes inappropriately approve some applications after assuming that applicants have no criminal history because no criminal history records are included in alien files when they adjudicate cases. According to INS records, 1,049,872 aliens were naturalized between September 1995 and September 1996. Of 71,557 aliens with criminal history records, were about 10,800 identified as possibly having felony charges. An independent company plans to take a random sample of about 6,000 naturalized aliens from the almost 1.05 million naturalized to validate the INS review of procedural steps it followed during the original adjudication. The goal is to ensure the consistent application of INS policies and procedures.