To better understand why the INS leaves citizens feeling like they live outside the reach of the rule of law, NumbersUSA solicited the views of people inside the INS. Our open request resulted in our receiving comments from more than two dozen INS agents and people who have retired both from on-the-ground jobs and from high INS echelons.

The description of the work of the INS by the INS agents and officials is barely less harsh than that of the citizens who live daily with the results of the INS non-enforcement policies. The overwhelming message that we draw from our interviews with INS people (and with most citizens who have had direct contact with INS agents) is that the INS is filled substantially with dedicated public servants who not only are willing to enforce our nation's immigration laws but are exceedingly disconcerted and disillusioned by their lack of authorization to do so.

Here are some of the comments from our INS sources:

"Current regional and headquarters politically motivated policies prohibit us from enforcing immigration law in the interior for fear of offending a group or generating negative media attention. This includes joint operations with local law enforcement, the ability to work leads and tips without completing and forwarding a detailed 'operation plan' through a maze-like chain of management to pick apart and review."

An agent who is popular in his community for aggressive apprehensions of illegal immigrants reports that when his numbers get too high, he is sent away for a few weeks to another city outside his region to supposedly help with office work there.

Recently in the Southeast, INS agents checked 20 suspects while looking for a fugitive illegal alien felon. They discovered that only two of them were legal residents. But they let all 18 illegal aliens go because their orders were that they didn't have the resources to detain them.

"We need the ability to immediately be able to respond to citizen complaints and take action on day laborers, without fear of media attention or criticism, and accomplish these things at our own district level, without headquarters interference, backpedaling or second-guessing."

Another source comments, "Twenty or thirty years ago, responding to local calls was a priority."

"Local law enforcement agencies are disgusted with us and don't even bother calling any more since they know we won't or can't respond," says another. An experienced INS officer says: "We need an employer sanctions program back--without a maze of 'operational plans' before entering a business, notifying businesses before we arrive, more warrants served on scofflaw businesses and serious response to citizen complaints." Finally, a source tells us, "The enforcement people in INS would really like to start doing our jobs like we did before we were castrated by the policies of the last decade."

Although many of our INS sources did not know each other, their descriptions of what is wrong with the system were remarkably similar. And their suggestions for how to turn around the agency were also similar.

Excerpted from Testimony to the U.S. Congress, May 15, 2001, by Roy Beck, executive director of NumbersUSA.com

Editor's note: On November 25, 2002, the President signed the Homeland Security Act of 2002 into law. This law transferred INS functions to the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Immigration enforcement functions were placed within the Directorate of Border and Transportation Security (BTS), either directly, or under Customs and Border Protection (CBP) (which includes the Border Patrol and INS Inspections) or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (which includes the enforcement and investigation components of INS such as Investigations, Intelligence, Detention and Removals).

As of March 1, 2003, the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was abolished and its functions and units incorporated into the new Department. Below are links to Web information about the new locations, responsibilities and contacts (HQs/field) of the former INS immigration services and immigration enforcement units. For more information, click here