INS Fact Sheet Template

April 17, 2002 INS Restructuring Plan – Next Steps INS is announcing significant structural changes in an ongoing effort to fulfill President Bush’s pledge to fundamentally reform the agency by creating a clear division between INS’ two missions – service and enforcement. 1. Establishing a direct chain of command for the Border Patrol that extends from the Chief at Headquarters to agents in the field. Effective immediately, the Chief of the Border Patrol, based at INS Headquarters, will have direct line authority over Chief Patrol Agents in the 21 Border Patrol Sectors. The previous organizational structure did not allow direct line authority from the Chief of the Border Patrol down to the agents. Previously, Border Patrol Agents reported to Sector Chiefs, who reported to Regional Directors, who in turn reported to Headquarters. The change in reporting structure will provide clarity of mission and a consistency of approach and policy throughout the entire Border Patrol chain of command. Direct line authority will also enable the Chief of the Border Patrol to dedicate agents and other resources to address crises anywhere in the United States in the quickest possible manner. For example, following September 11th, the old management structure had to be circumvented in order to deploy 318 Border Patrol Agents to airports around the country within 36 hours of the attacks. 2. Consolidating various Detention functions under Headquarters control. INS is transferring the control of its eight Service Processing Centers (SPCs) from District and Regional Directors to Headquarters. INS expects to complete this transition by August. As a first step, the officers in charge of these INS-owned detention facilities will report directly to Headquarters on facility management issues, care of detainees, and detention standards. The transfer of control of the SPCs is the first step in a larger plan to shift control of all District detention functions to the Headquarters Detention and Removal Program to help ensure that detention policies and procedures are executed uniformly throughout INS. Later this month, the El Paso District will serve as the first site covered by the new reporting structure. At that time, all detention and removal functions in the El Paso District will begin reporting directly to Headquarters. 3. Establishing the Office of Juvenile Affairs that reports directly to the Commissioner. INS is appointing Steve Farquharson, District Director in Boston, as interim head of the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA). Steve Farquharson will bring over 25 years of INS experience to the effort of establishing the Office of Juvenile Affairs. The office will have direct line authority over officers in the field and will oversee national programs that address the needs of unaccompanied minors in INS custody. Its mission will be to ensure that all juveniles with whom INS comes into contact are treated with dignity, respect, and special concern. OJA will respond to the needs of juveniles (including but not limited to unaccompanied minors) in the custody and care of the INS, and coordinate services to juveniles in INS field offices. 4. Launching a search for Chief Financial Officer and Chief Information Officer. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will report directly to the Commissioner and be responsible for ensuring sound INS financial management. The CFO will have broad responsibilities, including the development of agency-wide financial policy and procedures, managing integrated financial systems, directing the preparation of annual financial plans, and overseeing the agency’s debt management program. The CFO will also be responsible for developing and executing the agency’s annual budget. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) will report directly to the Commissioner and be responsible for marshalling the information systems to provide accurate, up-to-date data to the enforcement and services bureaus. The CIO will ensure that the services bureau has access to relevant enforcement data for adjudications, and that the enforcement bureau also has access to data collected by the services bureau. The CIO will also be responsible for developing the necessary information inter-links with other federal and state agencies as well as local law enforcement. 5. Establishing a Field Advisory Board to act as a liaison between the Headquarters Office of Restructuring and the various field components. The Board, comprised of senior field and regional managers, will provide leadership and subject matter expertise to the Office of Restructuring as INS implements key restructuring initiatives. It will be instrumental in guiding the agency’s restructuring effort to achieve a more streamlined and effective public service oriented entity. Serving on the Board, which had its initial meeting on April 10th, are: Scott Blackman - Regional Director, Eastern Regional Office; Anne Estrada - District Director, Dallas District Office; Jose E. Garza - Chief Patrol Agent, McAllen Sector Border Patrol; Luis Garcia - District Director, El Paso District Office; Frances Holmes - District Director, Buffalo District Office; Patrick T. McDermott - Regional Counsel, Central Regional Office; Carolyn Muzyka - Acting Regional Director, Western Regional Office; Andrea Quarantillo – District Director, Newark District Office; Thomas Schiltgen - District Director, Los Angeles District Office; Lynne Underdown - Chief Patrol Agent, Miami Sector Border Patrol; and Robert Wallis - Regional Director, Central Regional Office. -INS-