According to a report in The Economic Times, many immigration lawyers have expressed concern that this decision may directly affect H-1B visa holders, international students on F-1 visas, and green card applicants, many of whom are Indian.
As per immigration attorneys, this closure will limit transparency and accountability at the
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Speaking with TOI, the senior director for government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Sharvari Dalal-Dheini, said, “Individuals or businesses sought assistance from the CIS ombudsman for a variety of issues, ranging from erroneous rejections of filings and denials to typographical errors on secure documents (such as Green Cards and Employment Authorization Documents) and even mailing issues. Last year, the ombudsman’s office assisted approximately 30,000 applicants.”
Dalal-Dheini highlighted that the ombudsman’s office even benefited employees by addressing delayed or missing employment documents filed on behalf of their international employees.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) reported that the ombudsman’s office handled roughly 30,000 requests in 2024, assisting with delays, inaccuracies, and application disputes.
According to Rajiv S Khanna, an immigration attorney in Arlington, visa holders frequently turned to the ombudsman when their legal status was at risk owing to administrative delays. “F-1 and H-1B visa holders turned to the CIS ombudsman when they hit bureaucratic roadblocks within US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that threatened their legal status and livelihoods,” he added.
The CIS ombudsman acts as a liaison between the public and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The office assists people and employers in handling concerns with USCIS, as well as holds engagements to hear from the public about their experiences.
Additionally, it identifies problems in the immigration system and provides recommendations to USCIS on how to address them.
