The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was a former agency of the United States government that existed from 1933 to 2003. It was responsible for administering federal immigration laws and regulations, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (Title 8, United States Code). The INS was headed by a commissioner appointed by the President who reported to the Attorney General in the Department of Justice.
The INS had four main divisions: Programs, Field Operations, Policy and Planning, and Management. The operational functions of the INS included the Programs and Field Operations divisions. The Programs division was responsible for handling all the functions involved with enforcement and examinations, including inspections of foreigners arriving at official Ports of Entry (POE), detecting and deterring illegal immigration between the ports, and conducting investigations of criminal and administrative violations of the Act.
The INS also adjudicated applications for permanent residency, change of status, naturalization, and similar matters. The agency worked closely with the United Nations, the Department of State, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The INS was dissolved on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred to three new entities – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – within the newly created Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
