Site Visits by Immigration Officials

Source: https://isss.illinois.edu/departments/immigration-site-visits/ Parent: https://isss.illinois.edu/

Federal immigration officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Student and Exchange Visitors Program (SEVP) may conduct site visits to campus for a variety of reasons unrelated to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions.

Below are specific reasons that DHS, USCIS, or SEVP officers may conduct site visits. These visits are often conducted as part of routine audits and are not the same as enforcement conducted by ICE. For ICE guidance, please visit the Open Illinois website.

Visit Types

• USCIS Visit:Anyone applying for USCIS benefits such as change of statuses or EADs should be prepared for the possibility of a visit by USCIS. The purpose of these visits is to confirm the information submitted in the benefit application.
• SEVP OPT Audit:DHS conducts site visits to employers who hire F-1 international students in Optional Practical Training (OPT) for the purpose of investigating the nature of the training. OPT is meant to provide students training in their field of study. Generally, employers should receive a 48-hour advance notice prior to any site visit. Questions are most often about the nature of the employment and adherence to the I-983 training plan, if applicable. The DHS website has more information about what to expect from a OPT SEVP Audit.
• SEVP Field Representative Visit:SEVP administers the F-1/J-1 visa programs, employs field representatives who serve as liaisons between SEVP and certified schools. Regional field representative visits the university regularly to meet with ISSS staff.  These visits are routine and typically serve as an opportunity for the field representative to share news and updates from SEVP.

• H-1B Temporary Worker Program Audit:DHS occasionally conducts unannounced visits to employers across the United States for the purpose of ensuring H-1B employees are engaging in approved work activities. Such a visit requires the DHS officer to speak to the H-1B employee at their work location and review the H-1B petition with ISSS. Either the employee or ISSS can be contacted first. Occasionally, the officer will contact the employing department indicated on the petition filed by the university. These visits should not be a cause for alarm, as they are generally routine and selected at random.

• Additionally, the Department of Labor (DOL) may conduct a site visit to an employer and may request to see certain documents related to the filing of a labor condition application (LCA). An LCA is required for all H-1B/E-3 petitions.

What to Do if You (or Someone You Know) Receives a Visit

In many cases, these visits are part of routine audits. If you (or someone you know) receive a visit or a call from an immigration official, follow these steps:

1. Ask the officer’s badge and/or identification information. Take note of their name, ID number, phone, and email.

2. Contact ISSS (217-333-1303 or isss@illinois.edu) to notify us of the visit.

3. The Assistant Provost for International Student and Scholar Services and the ISSS Senior Associate Director for students or scholars will contact the immigration official to verify the identity of the officer.

4. ISSS will set up a meeting location and engage the relevant parties, including senior leadership, human resources, UIPD, and legal counsel as appropriate.
5. Notify your Unit Executive Officer.
6. If you are asked to provide follow-up information and wish to consult with an immigration attorney before responding. Refer to these legal services for finding an attorney.
7. Refer to the administrative guidance for employees and university officials for next steps.

Administrative Guidance for Employees and University Officials

To assist employees and university officials as they navigate a site visit or audit, the following guidance is available. University credentials are required to access these resources.

• Employee Guidance for Responding to Unannounced OPT/H-1B Audits. These general guidelines are applicable to all employees who may interact with DHS, USCIS, or SEVP officers.
• Administrative Guidance for Responding to SEVP OPT Audits. These guidelines are applicable to OPT employers for the purpose of responding to SEVP OPT Audits.
• Administrative Guidance for Responding to H-1B Audits. These guidelines are applicable to H-1B employees, hiring departments, and human resources for the purpose of responding to H-1B Audits.
• Guidance for Front Desk Staff/Student Workers. This guidance is applicable to anyone working in a public-facing administrative role where they may receive inquiries related to the visit types mentioned above.

View Response Protocol and Guidelines