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Law Enforcement and the Immigration and Naturalization Service Resolving an Apparent Contradiction

NCJ Number
89019
Author(s)
G J Weissinger
Date Published
1982
Length
234 pages
Annotation
This study examines the impact on criminal investigators of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) of the apparently contradictory INS mandate of service and control and the implications of investigator perceptions as well as administrator perceptions on organizational functioning.
Abstract
The study examined problems of status and morale among INS investigators, the dual-task requirements of the agency, intraorganizational relations derived from the dual mandate, and notions about professionalism among employees which affect recruitment, training, and worker expectations. The methodology of the study included participant observation (the author has been a criminal investigator with the INS since 1974), analysis of official statistics, and focused interviews with criminal investigators assigned to the New York INS office. The interviews covered task, goals, policy directives, training, moral and promotion. Respondents felt that current INS priorities deemphasized the investigators' concept of their task: the investigation of criminal violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The respondents were primarily involved in administrative enforcement work (locating and apprehending illegal aliens), and most of the illegal aliens apprehended were low-level visa abusers employed in the work force. Other problems affecting morale included liaison with other agencies, media views of the illegal alien problem, and notions of professionalism among the control agents. Issues concerning amnesty and future enforcement efforts were also considered. Tabular and graphic data along with 96 references are provided. (Author abstract modified)

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