President Donald Trump has shut down the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Ombudsman, a crucial agency that assisted thousands of immigrants facing complicated visa issues, including green card applications and H-1B visa concerns.

The closure of the Ombudsman’s office is expected to directly impact green card applicants, international students on F-1 visas, and H-1B visa holders, many of whom are part of the Indian diaspora. Experts and immigration lawyers warn that the move will reduce the accountability and transparency of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Rajiv S. Khanna, an Arlington-based immigration attorney, expressed concern that F-1 and H-1B visa holders relied on the CIS Ombudsman to resolve bureaucratic issues at USCIS. These challenges often threatened their legal status and employment, he explained. The Ombudsman’s office was also instrumental in organizing workshops and providing guidelines on issues related to work and student visas.

In 2024 alone, the CIS Ombudsman processed around 30,000 requests, helping with application disputes, errors, and delays, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). The office’s closure, along with the elimination of two other immigration control agencies, has raised alarms about the lack of accessible channels for addressing grievances in a system already plagued by delays and inefficiencies.

The CIS Ombudsman, appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was responsible for assisting individuals and employers facing challenges with USCIS immigration benefits. The Ombudsman also identified patterns in cases that presented difficulties and recommended changes to improve administrative procedures.

In its 2024 annual report, the CIS Ombudsman highlighted its efforts to reduce backlogs and processing times, successfully cutting the backlog by 15%, despite various operational challenges.