What Jobs Can Be Found in Immigration Services?

Immigration ServicesWhile the jobs found in Immigration Services are primarily at Department of Homeland Security’s Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS), there are also private positions available in legal and consulting businesses.

Transportation Technician

Transportation technicians coordinate between Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) departments and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) departments in airports. They provide professional assistance to international airport travelers and aircraft passengers. They may be called upon to assist TSA agents with operating screening equipment and technologies that identify potentially dangerous objects in baggage and on passengers. They are often asked to carry or lift bags and bins for travelers and sometimes weigh them. Transportation technicians are often posted at terminal entry and exit points, so they often interact with the public, give directions and respond to inquiries.

Immigration Services Officer

Immigration services officers are primarily employed through DHS’ Citizenship and Immigration Services agency, which is tasked with protecting national interests through securing borders, enforcing immigration laws and preventing terrorism. Immigration services officers electronically process immigration petitions and applications through secure systems. They interview potentially approved applicants and petitioners in order to determine the candidate’s eligibility for specific immigration benefits. Some are employed in USCIS information rooms, which are public offices that provide assistance through answering both general and case-specific immigration questions.

Immigration Analyst

Immigration analysts are senior immigration services officers who primarily deal with policy and administration. They research and interpret a wide variety of information sources in order to decide or recommend specific courses of action. They deal with immigration regulations, agency mandates, legislative history, previous decisions, international laws and state and local laws. Thus, they must have a strong legal background and analytical mind. Some also provide real-time assistance to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field personnel to identify and remove immigrants who pose potential threats to public safety and national security.

Adjudications Officer

These professionals provide guidance for immigration policies and systems. They adjudicate cases, conduct security checks and interview final applicants and petitioners. Others promote program integrity and quality systems through conducting on-site audits and creating training modules. Some make recommendations for effective operational changes to increase program efficiency and resource conservation. Some adjudications officers serve as direct liaisons with other federal departments. They are tasked with granting or denying very complex petitions and applications and communicating the resulting decisions. Administrative adjudications officers review old and interpret new instructions and regulations.

Job Requirements

Immigration professionals who work in the field must be able to maintain focus and awareness while working in noisy and stressful environments. This includes everything from disruptive machinery to angry passengers to potentially dangerous baggage. They must be able to make effective decisions in routine situations and emergencies. Those who work in the office must continually develop their critical thinking skills in order to mitigate potential security threats. Those who work in Immigration Services must be comfortable dealing with complex and sensitive information, such as financial records, personal documents and intelligence analyses.

Related Resource: Research Psychologist

The jobs found in Immigration Services also include legal service caseworker, admissions adviser and intelligence analyst.