External Affairs Directorate

The External Affairs Directorate (EXA) ensures that USCIS conveys accurate, consistent and transparent information and unified messaging to both our external and internal audiences.

We develop and circulate official USCIS materials aimed at external audiences, including Congress, the media, stakeholders, and the general public.

We maintain relationships with Congress by providing responses to policy questions and constituent casework inquiries, and by providing ongoing education for members of Congress and their staff. We communicate with federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal partners.

We engage with the media by promoting stories that enhance the public’s understanding of USCIS and by answering media inquiries. We manage media interaction by fostering constructive relationships with local, regional, national, and international reporters, and other media representatives. We manage external engagement based on the principles of educating the public and providing equal access to information for all stakeholders.

We promote U.S. citizenship, English language learning, and civic education, including citizenship rights and responsibilities, through self-service tools and other resources that help applicants navigate the immigration process, prepare for naturalization, and file applications online.

The External Affairs Directorate consists of four component offices:

• Office of Legislative Affairs
• Office of Public Affairs
• Office of Access and Information Services
• Office of Citizenship, Partnership, and Engagement

The Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) supports the USCIS mission by maintaining effective relationships with Congress. OLA promptly responds to concerns from congressional stakeholders and shares updates on USCIS policy changes with those stakeholders. These actions enhance understanding of the immigration process and promote the development of sound immigration legislation, policy, and practices. OLA ensures that the USCIS director, deputy director, and other USCIS leaders are well-informed of congressional activity and legislation affecting the agency.

OLA has three divisions.

• The Legislative Affairs Division informs and advises USCIS leadership on congressional activity, informs Congress of USCIS policies and priorities, provides Congress with technical assistance on proposed legislation, briefs members and their staff on agency operations and policies, and supports agency leadership for congressional hearings.
• The Operations and Field Coordination Division supports the Congressional Liaison Corps throughout the agency to ensure consistency in outreach and operations. The division manages the OLA system of records—the Legislative Electronic Tracking System.
• The Congressional Constituent Services Division responds to congressional inquiries concerning constituent casework and policy questions.

You can reach OLA by phone (240-721-3801), fax (240-721-1076), or email (usciscongressionalinquiries@uscis.dhs.gov).

The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) provides information, context, and insights to both internal and external audiences to enhance public and employee understanding of our agency and the laws and policies that impact applicants, petitioners, stakeholders, and the American people.

OPA has five divisions.

• The Plain Language Division ensures our communications materials are clear, accurate, and easy to understand. Our team of writer-editors drafts original content, reviews and edits communications materials and web content, and ensures that we are communicating clear, concise, accurate, and useable information. Plain Language also prepares remarks and talking points for USCIS leadership, translates web content and communications materials into Spanish, and provides plain language training to USCIS employees and other DHS components.
• The Media Affairs Division supports the USCIS mission by promoting stories that enhance the public’s understanding of the agency; efficiently responding to media queries about USCIS and providing up-to-date information on the agency’s latest efforts; as well as fostering constructive relationships with local, regional, national and international media representatives.
• The Multimedia Division provides the tools, technology, and expertise to create visual communications for USCIS. This includes producing videos and graphics for internal and external audiences, offering audiovisual and broadcast support for events at the USCIS conference center, and ensuring consistent branding across all USCIS materials.
• The Internal Communications Division produces a variety of communications products including the agency's intranet, newsletter, and agencywide events to accurately and timely engage and inform the USCIS workforce.
• The Strategic Communications Division plans, coordinates, develops and clears USCIS messaging to announce short- or long-term operational and policy updates, changes, or new initiatives. This division coordinates and develops timely communications strategies to ensure accurate information reaches relevant external audiences.

The Office of Access and Information Services (OAIS) provides support to applicants throughout their immigration journey, using a suite of digital resources and multichannel engagement options. The office works hard every day to enhance the experience for applicants while improving efficiency and adding value to USCIS operations.

OAIS has two divisions.

• The Public Services Division manages the USCIS Contact Center, which responds to inquiries by phone, email, live chat, secure message, and written correspondence. The division also contains the Language Service Section, which provides services to USCIS and other DHS offices that require interpretation, translation, and transcription services.
• The Digital Services Division manages the USCIS website and several self-help tools, such as Case Status Online and the Check Case Processing Times webpage, and manages the USCIS online account, which offers online filing, self-help tools, such as Change of Address Online and Reschedule Biometric Services Appointments, and other digital resources. The division also analyzes data to assess performance and identify areas of improvement for the online account experience

The Office of Citizenship, Partnership, and Engagement (OCPE) builds a shared understanding of citizenship and the immigration system by providing trusted information and facilitating stakeholder participation in support of the USCIS mission.

• The Office of Citizenship provides tools and resources to foster civic integration, promotes instruction and training, develops educational materials on citizenship rights and responsibilities, and administers the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. Please visit the Office of Citizenship page for more information.
• The Public Engagement Division facilitates open and transparent communication between the agency, external stakeholders, and applicants and petitioners. We develop and strengthen relationships with stakeholders through national, regional, and local engagements and outreach efforts on a variety of topics and USCIS initiatives. Local engagements are facilitated by community relations specialists throughout the country who actively build collaborative relationships. To learn about engagements, visit the USCIS Engagements page.
• The Liaison and Coordination Division serves as the liaising body between USCIS and the DHS Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman and the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. We coordinate official responses to informal and formal recommendations, stakeholder inquiries, and allegations of civil rights violations.