Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate

The Immigration Records and Identity Services Directorate (IRIS) provides immigration, employment, and identity information accurately and completely to enable confident and timely decisions. IRIS continually evaluates and improves processes to achieve optimal performance and drives flexible and modern technology solutions and services to support evolving operational needs.

IRIS consists of three divisions that support the overall IRIS mission:

• Identity and Information Management Division
• National Records Center
• Verification Division

The Identity and Information Management Division (IIMD) provides reliable person centric identity and immigration information management and services for an ecosystem of more than 100 million immigration records. IIMD is responsible for meeting the demands of a hybrid paper and electronic records environment to support the nation’s evolving immigration operations. IIMD:

• Is the authoritative source of trusted identity and immigration data and content as the business owner and operator of 10 IRIS immigration information systems including the Central Index System (CIS), which summarizes immigration status history; RAILS, which points users to where immigration information is located; and the Customer Profile Management System (CPMS), which stores biometric and background check data;
• Implements official identity and immigration records policy and guidance across the DHS tri-bureau, USCIS, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement;
• Engages with international and interagency partners to establish information sharing agreements and improve interoperability of identity and immigration information systems and processes; and
• Provides quality biometric collection services and background check data to internal and external stakeholders.

The National Records Center (NRC) provides records storage, management, and information retrieval services, to include genealogy, and maintains the integrity of over 55.6 million immigration records and 23 million receipt files while supporting the largest Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program in the federal government.

The Verification Division provides timely and accurate immigration status and information to public benefit granting agencies and employment authorization to employers. The division operates and manages:

• Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Form I-9 is the mandatory employment verification process required of all employers in the United States.
• E-Verify, an internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9 to data from DHS and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility
• The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program assists federal, state, and local benefit-issuing agencies, institutions, and licensing agencies determine the immigration status of benefit applicants so only those entitled to benefits receive them.