U.S. Immigration Office Removes ‘Nation of Immigrants’ From Mission Statement

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ new mission statement notably removes its previous reference to America as a “nation of immigrants.” In an email sent to staffers on Wednesday, obtained by The Intercept, agency director L. Francis Cissna circulated the agency’s new mission and said that “this simple, straightforward statement clearly defines the agency’s role in our country’s lawful immigration system and the commitment we have to the American people.” The new statement also excluded the word “customers,” which previously described those the agency served, claiming that the term’s use “leads to the erroneous belief that applicants and petitioners, rather than the American people, are whom we ultimately serve.” When asked about the exclusion of the “nation of immigrants” phrase, USCIS said that the “statement speaks for itself.”