Immigration Officer

Citizenship and Immigration Services•Salinas, CA

12d

About The Position

The Immigration Officer works within USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS), which supports national security and the integrity of the legal immigration system. The role identifies potential threats to national security or public safety, detects and deters fraud, and uses law-enforcement and intelligence information to help protect U.S. communities. The officer provides guidance, researches ways to improve policies and procedures, and identifies and pursues suspected immigration-benefit fraud. The position is not designated as a law-enforcement covered position. The officer conducts administrative investigations and site visits, gathers documents, interviews individuals, performs system checks, and makes determinations regarding potential administrative or criminal violations. The officer works with law-enforcement and intelligence agencies, participates in interagency task forces and partner-agency investigations, develops methods and tools to analyze fraud data and trends, and recommends ways to address weaknesses in the immigration system. The role also involves preparing and sharing intelligence-related information and training materials and serving as an expert witness in related court proceedings. At the full-performance level, the position carries out these responsibilities with greater independence and complexity than developmental-grade assignments. Applicants who have not already completed the required residential training must successfully complete paid FDNS Officer Basic Training and a six-week USCIS Basic Officer training program at a USCIS training facility. The position requires operation of a motor vehicle and a current valid driver's license. A one-year probationary period may be required.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship or U.S. nationality.
Successfully pass a background investigation, including financial disclosure.
Pass a drug screening; the position may also be subject to random drug testing.
For applicants not currently employed by USCIS, meet the residency requirement: for three of the five years immediately before applying, have resided in the United States, worked overseas as a U.S. Government employee in a Federal or Military capacity, or been a dependent of such an employee serving overseas.
Possess a current valid driver's license and be able to operate a motor vehicle.
Meet the applicable qualification requirements for the advertised grade. At GS-11, this includes one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 performing the specified immigration-benefit review, adjudication, evidence analysis, and fraud-reporting duties, or qualifying doctoral/graduate education; a combination of experience and education may also qualify at GS-11.
At GS-12, possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11, including experience applying immigration laws and procedures to uncover fraud schemes, reviewing benefit evidence, liaising with law-enforcement or intelligence agencies, and reviewing fraud-detection policies and procedures.
At GS-13, possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12, including experience addressing complex fraud schemes and national-security concerns, researching enforcement or anti-fraud program impacts, responding to inquiries about enforcement or anti-fraud actions and policies, and recommending procedural or policy improvements.
Current Federal employees must meet the 52-week time-in-grade requirement at the lower grade or equivalent grade band by the stated deadline.
Successfully complete required residential FDNS Officer Basic Training and six-week USCIS Basic Officer training if not previously completed.
Submit a resume of no more than two pages and the required application materials; a writing sample may be required. Education used to qualify must be supported by a transcript showing the applicant's name and educational institution.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service.

Responsibilities

Identify, articulate, and pursue suspected immigration-benefit fraud and public-safety or national-security concerns.
Conduct administrative investigations and site visits; obtain documents, conduct interviews, perform system checks, and make determinations regarding potential administrative or criminal violations.
Liaise with law-enforcement and intelligence agencies and participate in interagency task forces and partner-agency investigations to combat fraud and deter and detect national-security and public-safety threats.
Develop anti-fraud tools and methodologies to collect and analyze data, identify fraud trends and patterns, and recommend ways to address vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the immigration system.
Develop, document, and disseminate intelligence-related data and training materials to internal and external partners.
Serve as an expert witness and represent USCIS in related court proceedings.
Provide guidance and conduct research to enhance current policies and procedures.