INS abolished, replaced by three new agencies

On March 1, 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service was abolished. The functions of the old INS have been taken over by three separate agencies located in the new Department of Homeland Security. These agencies are as follows:

• The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration and Services (BCIS) will take over the service functions of the old INS. This includes the processing of benefit applications such as H-1B petitions, immigrant worker and family-based immigration petitions, adjustment applications, and citizenship applications.
• The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (BCBP) will conduct inspections at ports of entry. This will include employees of the former INS, the US Customs Service, and the Border Patrol.
• The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE) will be responsible for investigation of immigration violations, and inland enforcement of immigration laws.

Despite these changes, most immigration functions will continue without change. The same application forms will be used, and the same offices will handle them. Pending applications will not be affected, and will continue to be processed as before.