The Donald Trump administration has placed the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Ombudsman's staff on administrative leave for 60 days, reports say.
According to Business Today, many legal experts believe the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) move on March 21 is a step towards eliminating the independent immigration oversight agency.
The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, as well as the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, were also affected by the change.
According to the DHS, the move is part of a larger effort to streamline procedures. However, it does not specify how future or ongoing immigration cases will be handled without the Ombudsman's involvement.
The closure may have a significant impact on Indian nationals in the United States on H-1B and F-1 visas, as well as green card applications. These groups have previously depended on the CIS Ombudsman to overcome visa application delays and bureaucratic hurdles.
The office, noted for its independence from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), aided approximately 30,000 people each year, Hindustan Times reports.
The move has been condemned by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and other advocacy groups. They have cautioned that the loss of the neutral monitor may result in unrestrained administrative power over immigration cases.
In the absence of the Ombudsman, immigrants are encouraged to contact congressional members or advocacy organisations, which may not offer the same level of expertise or impartiality.
Those affected by the transfer are asked to do the following:
They can contact their congressional representative to request assistance with delayed or disputed USCIS cases.
They can seek professional advice from immigration attorneys.
They must keep full records of their interactions with USCIS.
To avoid delays, they can seek premium processing, assuming it is available and inexpensive.
