The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was a former agency within the United States Department of Justice, primarily responsible for regulating and administering immigration matters in the country. The primary objective of the INS was to enforce and oversee immigration laws, as well as manage the process of naturalization, whereby foreign individuals seek to become US citizens.
The INS had various key functions, including border control and patrolling, inspection and admission of immigrants at ports of entry, detention and removal of undocumented immigrants, and adjudication of immigration benefits such as visas and green cards. The agency was also responsible for investigating immigration-related violations, combating illegal immigration, and maintaining records of immigrants entering and residing within the United States.
Established in 1933, the INS played a significant role in shaping immigration policy, managing the legal entry of immigrants, and dealing with issues related to national security and public safety. In particular, the INS worked to balance the protection of American interests and security concerns with the fair and just treatment of immigrants.
On March 1, 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service ceased to exist as an independent agency and was restructured within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, where the responsibility for immigration matters was divided between three separate agencies: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
