Immigration Officer

Citizenship and Immigration Services•Santa Ana, CA

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 by aligning immigration benefit adjudication with identifying potential threats, detecting and deterring fraud, and using law-enforcement and intelligence information. The officer provides guidance, researches ways to enhance policies and procedures, and identifies, articulates, and pursues suspected immigration-benefit fraud and related public-safety and national-security concerns. The role includes conducting administrative investigations and site visits, gathering documents, interviewing individuals, checking systems, and determining whether potential administrative or criminal violations have occurred. The officer collaborates with law-enforcement and intelligence agencies, participates in interagency task forces and partner investigations, develops methods and tools to analyze fraud patterns and vulnerabilities, and prepares and shares intelligence-related information and training materials. The officer may serve as an expert witness and represent USCIS in court proceedings. This position requires operation of a motor vehicle and a current valid driver’s license. Applicants who have not completed the required training must successfully attend residential, paid FDNS Officer Basic Training and a six-week residential, paid USCIS BASIC Officer training program. The position is not a law-enforcement-covered position and is not considered essential for reporting to work when a facility is otherwise closed. Telework is governed by the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship or U.S. national status.
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: during three of the five years immediately before applying, have resided in the United States, worked overseas for the U.S. Government in a Federal or Military capacity, or been a dependent of a U.S. Federal or Military employee serving overseas.
Possess a current valid driver’s license and be able to operate a motor vehicle.
For GS-12: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-11, including experience performing the majority of the following: applying immigration laws and procedures to uncover potential fraud schemes; reviewing evidence submitted by immigration-benefit applicants; liaising with law-enforcement or intelligence agencies regarding immigration fraud; and reviewing policies and procedures for detecting immigration fraud, public-safety, and national-security issues.
For GS-13: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-12, including experience performing the majority of the following: applying immigration laws and procedures to uncover complex fraud schemes and national-security concerns; researching the effects or implementation of enforcement or anti-fraud programs, directives, or policies on agency mission performance; preparing responses to inquiries about immigration enforcement or anti-fraud actions, programs, or policies; and developing or recommending changes to related procedures, processes, or policies.
Current Federal employees must meet the time-in-grade requirement of 52 weeks 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 already completed.
A writing sample may be required during the selection process.
There is no educational substitution for the stated experience requirements at these grade levels.

Responsibilities

Identify, articulate, and pursue suspected immigration-benefit fraud, public-safety concerns, and national-security concerns.
Conduct administrative investigations and site visits; obtain documents, conduct interviews, perform system checks, and determine whether potential administrative or criminal violations exist.
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.
Research and provide guidance to enhance current policies and procedures.