Sometime you have to pay attention to what's not being said. In the INS naturalization testimony, notice how there's no mention of automation:
"During its first ten months at INS, the newly-created Executive Office of Naturalization Operations has achieved several significant accomplishments. The primary focus has been on creating an
organizational structure and acquiring the personnel needed to restructure the naturalization process. As of February 24, 1998, INS had established 23 of 75 planned free standing Application Support
Centers (ASCs) and 51 ASCs collocated with existing INS offices. All of these ASCs are currently open and taking fingerprints, in accordance with the FY 1998 Appropriations Act, that required all
fingerprints for/NS benefits to be taken by INS or other law enforcement agencies.
"By mid-March, all 75 free standing ASCs will be open. For those who cannot reach the fingerprint sites, a fleet of 45 vans will serve as mobile fingerprint centers or they will be directed to designated
law enforcement agencies (DLEAs) operating under sole source contract agreements with the INS. All DLEAs will use INS fingerprint equipment and receive INS customer service training."
This tends to confirm our belief that things are moving slowly on the contract front. For all we know, they are still fingerprinting manually.
By the way, I think the decline in the stock is based, simply, on lack of news. |
