Federal Position Descriptions
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Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services

Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security
Responsibility
Management Scope

The Director is responsible for a 19,000 member workforce throughout more than 223 offices worldwide and oversees a $3 billion annual budget. Direct reports include:
• Deputy Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Chief of Staff, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Chief Counsel, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Associate Director, Service Center Operations Directorate
• Associate Director, Refugee, Asylum and International Operations
• Associate Director, Customer Service and Public Engagement
• Associate Director, Management Directorate
• Associate Director, Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate
• Associate Director, Field Operations Directorate
• Associate Director, Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversees lawful immigration to the United States.
• Secures America’s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system.
• Strengthens the security and integrity of the immigration system.
• Provides effective customer-oriented immigration benefit and information services.
• Supports immigrants’ integration and participation in American civic culture.
• Promotes flexible and sound immigration policies and programs.
• Strengthens the infrastructure supporting the USCIS mission.
The USCIS works closely with the following entities:
• State Department
• National Security Council
• Commerce
• Defense
• Federal law enforcement
• Secretary of Homeland Security
• Private sector
• State, local, tribal and territorial governments
• U.S. Coast Guard
• Customs and Border Protection
• Immigration and customs enforcement

Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
Requirements

• Experience in roles related to immigration
• Previous experience in a federal prosecutor capacity, legal, law enforcement or private sector role is related, though not required
• Political acumen with strong Congressional and White House relationships

Competencies

• Strategic Orientation: Demonstrates complex thinking abilities, incorporating both analytical and conceptual abilities to manage and develop plans and strategies
• Results Orientation: Drive for improvement of results demonstrated by a track record of substantially enhancing performance or organizations
• Team Leadership: Can focus, align and build effective groups
• Collaboration & Influencing: Works effectively with peers, partners and others who are not in the line of command

Past Appointments
  • León Rodríguez (2014 – 2017) – Director, Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services; Chief of Staff and Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Department of Justice; County Attorney for Montgomery County, Maryland
  • Alejandro Mayorkas (2009 – 2013) – Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security; United States Attorney for the Central District of California; Partner in Law at O’Melveny & Myers LLP; Vice-Chair of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Civil Rights
  • Emilio T. Gonzalez (2005 – 2008) – Lawyer at the international firm Tew Cardenas; Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council; Served in the Army and military attaché to embassies in El Salvador and Mexico; Taught at West Point
AGENCY

Department of Homeland Security

Mission: To ensure that homeland is safe, secure and resilient against terrorism and other potential threats.

COMPENSATION

Level III $165,300 (5 U.S.C. § 5314)1

REPORTS TO

Secretary of Homeland Security

SENATE COMMITTEE

Judiciary

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Footnote
  1. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.
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