koibito

There are a few interesting paragraphs in the recent GAO Report about the INS (Report
to Congressional Requesters United States General Accounting Office, GAO-01-488, May
2001, Immigration Bebefits - Several Factors Impede Timeliness of Application
Processing):

"Although INS has experienced substantial growth in its budget and staff, it
continues to have difficulty managing its application workload. INS' Adjudications
and Naturalization program budget, comprised largely of fees paid by applicants, has
nearly quadrupled since fiscal year 1994 to nearly $500 million. The size of its
program staff has more than doubled since fiscal year 1995 to about 6,100."

"INS officials say they need additional staff to keep up with a growing workload.
However, they could not specify the types of staff needed or where they should be
located because they lack a staff resource allocation model."

"INS districts lack an automated case management and tracking system for application
types other than naturalization. As a result, INS cannot readily determine (1) the
size and status of its pending workload; (2) application processing times; (3) the
existence of processing bottlenecks; (4) how to deploy staff based on workload and
backlogs; or (5) whether applications are processed in the order in which they are
received."

I have a .pdf version of the complete report, but I forgot where I downloaded the
file.

--jan
--
I can please only one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow isn't looking
good, either.

brianr

I have a link to it on my K-1 web site: http://www.alogic.co.uk/visa on the links and resources page.

As it's a gao report, why not also try the obvious link: http://www.gao.gov

Sam McAdams

You know, reports like this break my heart.

I'm a programmer by trade, and everywhere I've worked, I've made systems that deal
with automating and reducing people's workload, and increasing customer interaction.
I specialize in observing current workflows, and then improving and automating it. It
deeply upsets me that I can do this for the INS, and make so many people happy, but I
know that there's no way I'd ever be allowed to.

*siighs*

And yet, every time I read something like this, the wheels in my head start turning
(did I mention I write excellent cliché's?) and I automatically start generating
project guidelines and timelines in my head.

Sam "incorrigible" McAdams

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billypilgrim

----------

[usenetquote2]>> Somebody introduce this man to congress, please?[/usenetquote2]
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Sam, you make a mighty fine beer.

Ooops, sorry, that's Sam ADAMS!

Beth

billypilgrim

Sounds, then, like they may or may not be underfunded, they may or may not be
understaffed, and they may or may not be mismanaged.

(sigh) Considering, it's amazing any applications get processed at all!

Beth

forcefulljack10

brianr <[email protected]>
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INS underfunded or understaffed? Perhaps,I'd say the delays are more down to the INS
being run by a group of retarded chimpanzee's To be honest with you,I'd prefer the
possibility of a six month K-1 process to my current 18 month I-130 to be with my
wife! Wanna swap? FJ10

lisac77

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I'm a network engineer, and I had the same notion as Sam. A good computer network
with accurate case-tracking software (similar in my mind to the trouble-ticketing
systems technical support companies use) would catapult processing times.

It's a huge job though, and I wonder if, with their lack of monetary resources, that
they could get the best people to design and deploy everything needed. Oh, well,
maybe someday it will happen.

Lisa

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[usenetquote2]> > There are a few interesting paragraphs in the recent GAO Report about the INS[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > (Report to Congressional Requesters United States General Accounting Office,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > GAO-01-488, May 2001, Immigration Bebefits - Several Factors Impede Timeliness of[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Application Processing):[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > "Although INS has experienced substantial growth in its budget and staff, it[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > continues to have difficulty managing its application workload. INS'[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Adjudications and Naturalization program budget, comprised largely of fees paid[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > by applicants, has nearly quadrupled since fiscal year 1994 to nearly $500[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > million. The size of its program staff has more than doubled since fiscal year[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > 1995 to about 6,100."[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > "INS officials say they need additional staff to keep up with a growing workload.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > However, they could not specify the types of staff needed or where they should be[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > located because they lack a staff resource allocation model."[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > "INS districts lack an automated case management and tracking system for[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > application types other than naturalization. As a result, INS cannot readily[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > determine (1) the size and status of its pending workload; (2) application[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > processing times; (3) the existence of processing bottlenecks; (4) how to deploy[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > staff based on workload and backlogs; or (5) whether applications are processed[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > in the order in which they are received."[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I have a .pdf version of the complete report, but I forgot where I downloaded[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > the file.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --jan[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I can please only one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow isn't[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > looking good, either.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]

Sam McAdams

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Exactly! Although I usually write custom software, each time - which allows for
changing the software easily to adapt with changes in process, as they may happen in
the future. I've actually got a pretty clear idea in my head for writing software to
help track cases for the INS, where often the next "followup" date is controlled by
circumstances beyond anyone's control.

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Well, I honestly believe that given a couple of months, I could do it. The only true
delay would be a thorough review of the current network they operate on, and also the
current hardware they own. And the only true cost would be if any upgrades were
needed (in which case the cost would balloon, as you'd have to hire additional people
to help monitor and complete the upgrade).

But the programming and creation of the software would only take one person. I forget
where I read it, and I'll mistakenly attribute it to Larry Wall, but - "What one
programmer can code in one week will take two programmers three weeks, and three
programmers an eternity."

I've run into that so often, it's not even funny.

OTOH, if all their hardware is capable of loading up a web browser, no matter how
antiquated, one could always write a web based application, which would let
applicants log on to a website and also track their case *grins*. Isn't the internet
wonderful?

"la da da da, lets check the bank balance... and the AOS application - OMG we got the
interview/EAD/I-131/insert application here approved!"

Sam McAdams

lisac77

[usenetquote2]> > I'm a network engineer, and I had the same notion as Sam. A good[/usenetquote2]
computer
[usenetquote2]> > network with accurate case-tracking software (similar in my mind to the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > trouble-ticketing systems technical support companies use) would[/usenetquote2]
catapult
[usenetquote2]> > processing times.[/usenetquote2]
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allows
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[usenetquote2]> > It's a huge job though, and I wonder if, with their lack of monetary resources,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > that they could get the best people to design and deploy everything needed. Oh,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > well, maybe someday it will happen. [/usenetquote2]
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balloon,
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person.
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which
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*grins*.
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I was actually thinking in terms of the deployment of the network. I'm sure that in
itself would be a daunting task. Right now at the minimum they are probably dealing
with a major multi-platform system. From what I've heard, their computers are
soooooooo out of date and I'm sure they haven't even graduated to a switched LAN
environment as of yet. The first order of business would be to upgrade, upgrade,
upgrade. That would take a massive amount of hardware and a few people to do. Not to
mention, it would be a nationwide deployment! Of course a WAN (or maybe a VPN) would
need to be set up among the offices nationwide allowing for a much easier transfer
of information and data with security across the US. Once the system is in place,
then the software comes in, and the training of the employees to USE the new
software/hardware system. Once in place E-file would be only a step away! The IRS
has done it, so there's no reason the INS couldn't. It's all a matter of priorities
and MONEY!!

Of course the proprietary software with open code is a must. We run proprietary
software here and it rules. Got a software problem.... call the programmer. That's
so much fun.

BTW-- I read you loud and clear on the "programming committee" bit. I worked with a
group of developers once whose talents were, shall we say, ..... original. They
couldn't agree on whether the sky was blue, cyan, or aqua. To say the least. Their
code was (and is) illegible. Debugging on the phone with those guys was interesting.

I love brainstorming.... unlimited possibilities.

Lisa

Stephen Thompson

[usenetquote2]>>[/usenetquote2]
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I actually applied for the CIO position in INS, because I am so frustrated with there
lack of computing skills. My application was rejected because "Non-US Citizen and too
long to get a visa approved for position"

<shrugs> So a very large hedge fund employed me for 10x what they where offering and
now I just sit back and wait for my green card

Steve