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Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
Practical Law Glossary Item 8-506-4238 (Approx. 2 pages)
Glossary
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
Legacy federal agency in the Department of Justice responsible for all aspects of US immigration and naturalization law. The INS was disbanded in 2003 as a result of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. While the judicial functions of the INS have remained with the DOJ (EOIR, OIL, and OSC), all other functions have been transferred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and are now performed by the following agencies:
- United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), responsible for benefits and so on.
- US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), responsible for employer sanctions and enforcement.
- US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), border patrol, and immigration inspections.
For more information on employing foreign nationals, see Practice Note, Hiring and Employing Foreign Nationals in the US: Overview. For more information on nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories, see Key Nonimmigrant Visa Classifications Chart and Key Immigrant Visa Classifications Chart.