USCIS is making progress. However, questions about standardization continue to be raised in meetings with customers and stakeholders, including complaints about: (1) inconsistent application of statutory discretion among service centers and field offices; (2) inconsistent interpretation and application of laws, regulations, precedent decisions, policies, and procedures; and (3) wide variation in processing times for the same benefit type among the USCIS offices.
The common complaint is that decisions depend more upon which adjudicator handled the case rather than on the merits of the case; denial of benefits is more likely from certain adjudicators than from others. Stakeholders also related that inequities among various field offices are well-known and predictable.
Annual Report to Congress June 2007
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/cisomb_annualrpt07__June_11_2007_section3i__standardization.pdf
The common complaint is that decisions depend more upon which adjudicator handled the case rather than on the merits of the case; denial of benefits is more likely from certain adjudicators than from others. Stakeholders also related that inequities among various field offices are well-known and predictable.
Annual Report to Congress June 2007
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/cisomb_annualrpt07__June_11_2007_section3i__standardization.pdf