Justice IG says foreign student tracking system inadequate

The Internet-based system for tracking foreign students studying in the United States has "significant deficiencies," according to a report released Monday by the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General.

The report found that the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) processes for certifying schools and training employees on the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) are inadequate. Particular problems lie in INS' oversight of contractors hired to review the schools and in the reviews of schools' record-keeping and internal controls.

It also noted that the SEVIS database will not include information on all foreign students until Aug. 1. Schools were required to begin using SEVIS for new foreign students first by Jan. 30 and later by Feb. 15, but have until August to enter information about continuing foreign students. "Until then, the INS will continue to operate its inadequate, paper-based system to monitor continuing foreign students," the report said.

In addition, INS has not established procedures to use SEVIS to identify potential fraud. The report includes eight recommendations to improve the system.

On March 1, the INS merged with the Homeland Security Department. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the department's Border and Transportation Security Directorate is now responsible for SEVIS.

In response to the IG report, Michael Garcia, acting assistant secretary of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, disagreed that the agency had delayed implementation of SEVIS. Garcia also said the agency conducted two extensive training sessions for adjudicators and inspectors and provided detailed guidance on the system to 107 sites.

Garcia agreed with the IG report that the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement needs more resources to properly manage SEVIS.