Immigration Newsmaker: A Conversation with USCIS Director Francis Cissna

Francis Cissna, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), was featured in an Immigration Newsmaker conversation hosted by the Center for Immigration Studies on Wednesday, August 15, at 9:30 a.m. at the National Press Club.

Cissna leads the agency which “administers the nation’s lawful immigration system, safeguarding its integrity and promise by efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benefits while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honoring our values.” On an average day, the 19,000 workers at USCIS welcome nearly 2,000 new citizens at naturalization ceremonies, grant lawful permanent residence to approximately 2,100 people, issue approximately 7,000 new and replacement Green Cards, and verify the employment eligibility of more than 80,000 new hires through E-Verify.

[karankenZ]

1:02:23 False facts.
Not all H1B spouses can work folks.

Only H1B workers who are waiting in line for their greencards but cannot get it earlier due to the per country line that USCIS has put on greencards.
an H1B with an approved I 140 can only get an H4 EAD. For H1b who does not have an approved I140, their spouses cannot work.

This guy acts like he is just following the laws but how conveniently he leaves out the facts is what makes me think it's got nothing to do with law or merit but more to do with an agenda.

[raginishahani]

Either allow all spouses to work or disallow all of them. Why cherry pick that L2 spouses will be allowed but not H1-B? H1-B spouses are legal educated and positive addition to US economy. Nonsensical to abolish H4-EAD work permits. Deepak Shahani

[karankenZ]

57:59
This is the answer that most leaders of organizations seem to have in the government these days.
There's no change, no updating, no getting with the times. "It is what it is.."


Nothing is gonna change folks. It is what it is.

[victorin]

1. There are no caps for H1Bs which are 'dual intent'- or one may perfectly legally have an intention to immigrate.
2. Yet there is an arbitrary cap in case of employment based immgirant visas (green cards), causing bottlenecks and almost a century long delay for legal immigrants from larger countries.
3. Mr. Cissna expresses concern about the 'diversity' issue correcting that correcting this discriminatory and arbitrary cap 'may' cause.
4. However we all know that the 'diversity' green card lottery is sought to be removed by the very Government the director serves, in my opinion rightly so because President Trump rightly said this doesn't draw the brightest.

[karankenZ]

35:49.
"Because they're the ones who, in the order they filed for those merit based professions, get the greencards first"
Isn't this how it should be?

If person A files before person B, person A should get it first?
Why does the country have to be considered or where the person is from be considered?

Everywhere I saw him mention the law and the "LAW" talking about merit and the absolute best, but when it comes to giving out the greencards, it's not based on merit or order of filing but based on per country division. It's like merit, LAW and order of filing takes a back step because everyone needs a chance...unfair chance.

Can you imagine that? you go to watch a movie and stand in line. Now a person from another country comes and stands behind you in your line, he gets in first and you're standing there. Why? because there are like 8 white people in the line and you're white. Sine the dude behind you wasn't white he gets in first....

[mariaerobles]

ThanK you Mr. Francis Cissna, USCIS Director FOR THIS VERY GOOD AND INTERESTING CONVERSATION..

[meetube]

How can this guy be so easily denigrating to people from India? How was this a fault of applicants for their place of birth. This guy's parents arrived as immigrants, so he is taking this stance. This is outright discrimination, and unamerican. One of the pillars of US constitution says to not discriminate on nation of origin, and this is doing the opposite. The right thing to do is FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. Would you accept 50 people waiting in line for a table at a restaurant, while someone arrived a second ago to get that table??? This US immigration is a joke and a laughing matter in comparison to immigration in other developed countries which value credibility of candidates and not just on their country of birth...

[truthprevails]

36:00 Well. Then what about those who has to wait almost 50 to 100 years to get GC. How are you going to treat them fairly.

[RocketUsa]

Hr392 is absolutely fair. Focus on eliminating lottery green card.
Indian/Chinese immigrants wait 15+ years for green card. Their kids are suffering by not having proper status.

[taotayomariapazqcastillo]

YES I WISH ALL DIRECTORS TO PRAY HARD IN LINE WITH A VERY CHOSEN CAREER HOWEVER HUMBLE, ....KEEP FOCUSING AND DEVOTING EQUAL BALANCE FROM EVERY TASKS WITHIN SCOPED OF RESPONSIBILITY FIRST AND INITIALLY IN THE MORE HUMANE WAYS AS SECONDARY SHOULD BE ALLOWED OR TO AGREE WITH WHAT TO PUT ON TOP OF EVERY COMPASSION AND MANAGEMENT WOULD BETTER BE VERIFY UPON CONFIRMING IDENTIFICATION AND MODIFICATION, ....NOW IFEVER NOR HOWEVER UNREAL, ....SHOULD NEVER CHANGE CHANGE COMPASSION AND PROPER MANAGEMENT TO EVEN AND LIKEWISE HUMANS THEY THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX THAT A NO NO TO DISCRIMINATION TO EVERY EACH DULL NOR IGNORANT ESPECIALLY THE AFFLICTED AND MOSTLY THE CONVICTED AND HIS NETWORKS OF THE NEWEST GRAND SCAM EVER THAT TURNED THE WORLD REQUIRED FOR PERKS AND RESTORATION IN GREATER RESTITUTIONS OF ALL THINGS ORIGINAL AND SUPER REAL NOT THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE DISGUSTING SUPER NATURALS THAT ARE EVEN IN THE HIGHEST MANNERS AND MODERN APPS OF PRACTICES.

STOP !!!! STRIVE TO BE VERY GOOD OUT OF YOUR VERY OWN HEED AND EXPECTATION NOR SIGNIFICANT ROLES SHOULD IT BE ALLOWED BE GIVEN VERIFICATION AND CLARIFICATION IN TERMS OF THE MOST COMMON UPDATED " BEST SELLING SYSTEMS OF DENIED ROOTS; BEAR THE FRUITS. " WHERE ARE WE TO FACE IN FULL ACCEPTANCE FROM EVERY REAL THINGS TURNED INTO UNBELIEVABLE VERY POWERFUL OBRA MAESTRA NEVER A MASTER PIECE BUT QUICK AND PRECISE CLEAN MAGICAL DEEDS THEN ?? WE CAN COUNT SECURELY INFINITELY BY OUR OWN OF WHATEVER WE DESIRE TAKING GRANTED AND OR IGNORING SET ASIDE ( LATELY, BROKEN TO PIECES ) CRYSTAL CLEAR FACTS IN NEEDS / REQUIRED DEEDS OF URGENT ATTENTION TO PRIORITIZE, ...

[EricAm]

HR392 bill means India is moving to US! No jobs for Americans in the next 10 years. All the GCs goes for Indians who are flowing to US to get an MS degree and get a job! HR392 would be a disaster if passed!

[psychicopus]

Francis Cissna thinks that just following the law word to word and page to page makes him a patriot and an ultimate public servant. But he is wrong. All human situations cannot be translated into a 5000-page book. The book only tells USCIS how to interpret and enforce policy but it does not to the slightest extent consider the extent to which the immigrants could suffer through wrong interpretation or abuse of the policy by the visa petitioners. Francis Cissna is surely heartless. If every police officer and judge in the country followed the rule of law word-to-word then America would be a nightmare to live. Francis Cissna's emotional quotient is ZERO!

[wolfcubb]

Excellent talk!! Good to see many of the bigger problems being focused on by a qualified leader. My state voted in extra support to help you out.

[vkchaitanya]

He seems to be very knowledgeable and has a tight grip on all issues and solutions. However, the lady though she is the director seems to be clueless, maybe she is acting like that by purpose.