To: jean who wrote (6988 ) 3/4/1998 4:49:00 PM From: Elvis Jones Respond to
Key paragraphs I found.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. The FY 1999 budget includes $2.1 million for systems development, data management, and the implementation of its Computer Linked Application Information Management System (CLAIMS 4.0). The INS will use ADP and other emerging technologies to support efficient, effective and integrated operations and management. This request includes continued development and implementation of the CLAIMS 4.0 system with additional CLAIMS form types. CLAIMS 4.0 will be less costly to maintain and more flexible to support various reporting requirements. The new system will support 2D bar code scanning, use of debit and credit cards for application fees, deployment of electronic filing, electronic submission to external agencies, scanning of biometric information with access to the electronic A-file, and the use of secure and state-of-the-art fraud resistant documents that include biometric data. A primary feature of the CLAIMS 4.0 system is its "process control" mechanism that will not allow the operators to skip steps or operations unless all data fields are complete.
