Executive Summary 

The President’s Fiscal 2003 Immigration Budget 2/04/02

Ensuring Homeland Security and Improving Service 

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 budget request for the Immigration and Naturalization 

Service (INS) totals $6.3 billion, including $1.2 billion in increases primarily targeted at 

building greater homeland security and combating terrorism. This budget request will add over 

2,200 new positions, enabling INS to grow to more than 37,000 positions by the end of FY 

2003. 

INS’ FY 2003 budget supports the Administration’s immigration goals and strategies, 

especially the President’s commitment to ensure that our borders provide a strong defense for the 

American people against external threats, most importantly international terrorists, but also drug 

trafficking and other criminal activities. 

To address the gap in securing the Nation’s border, the budget proposes a bold, new 

initiative. The Border Security Initiative brings additional law enforcement personnel together 

with advanced state-of-the-art technology systems to better prevent illegal entry into the country, 

target persons who are a threat to homeland security, and assist with non-U.S. citizens entering 

and exiting the country. Components of this initiative include: 

• Implementing a comprehensive entry-exit system to track the arrival and departure of 

non-U.S. citizens, while speeding entry of routine, legitimate traffic and dramatically 

improving our ability to deny access to those that should not enter. The new system

will leverage advanced technology and construction investments to ensure a timely 

and secure flow of traffic; 

• Deploying force-multiplying equipment, including remotely operated infrared 

cameras, to monitor isolated areas where illegal entry may occur; and 

• Integrating now-separate information systems to ensure timely, accurate, and 

complete enforcement data are available to the field. 

Border Enforcement 

The FY 2003 budget will provide $711.7 million and 1,790 positions for INS border 

enforcement operations. This includes increasing the number of U.S. Border Patrol Agents by 

570 to a record level of more than 11,000 agents, more than double the level in FY 1993. Of 

these new agents, 285 will be deployed to the Northern Border. This continued expansion is part 

of the Administration’s clear and firm commitment to improving control of our borders. Other 

FY 2003 increases for the Border Patrol will strengthen critical infrastructure to support these 

new positions and the investments provided over the past several years. 

These increases also include additional enforcement presence at land, air, and sea portsof-entry. The FY 2003 budget includes 1,160 new Immigration Inspectors. These new inspector 

positions will better ensure INS has the ability to perform more than 500 million inspections 

annually. 

 

A total of $380 million, of which $362 million is from new resources, is included in this 

budget for the development and implementation of a comprehensive entry-exit system. This 

system will record departure and arrival information of all aliens entering the United States, and 

Prepared by the Office of Public Affairs • Immigration & Naturalization Service • (202) 514-2648
FY 2003 INS Budget – Executive Summary 

Page 2 

will provide INS with the capability to identify aliens who overstay their visas. In addition, this 

budget includes $105.9 million in funds to continue emergency counter-terrorism supplemental 

activities begun in FY 2002. 

Interior Enforcement 

The FY 2003 budget includes $19.7 million and 137 new positions to enhance 

cooperation with other Federal law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community in an 

effort to advance national security and homeland defense against possible terrorist cells in the 

United States. Additional funds and positions are included to build INS intelligence capabilities. 

INS is also developing a training program designed to promote awareness, recognition, and 

identification of women and children who are victimized by organizations that violate the 

criminal provisions of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000. In 

addition, this budget includes $21.9 million in funds to continue emergency counterterrorism supplemental activities begun in FY 2002. 

Detention & Removals 

The FY 2003 budget includes $50.5 million to improve existing detention facilities and 

to expand alternatives to traditional detention operations. These funds will build on pilot 

initiatives begun in FY 2002, which are focused on identifying more cost-effective methods of 

detaining select individuals. In addition, this budget includes $6.2 million in funds to 

continue emergency counter-terrorism supplemental activities begun in FY 2002. 

Also, in FY 2003 the Detention Trustee (under the Department of Justice) will reimburse 

INS $615 million and more than 1,200 positions for detention services. This funding and these 

positions were part of INS’ base funding in FY 2002. 

Immigration Services 

To achieve a six-month processing time standard for all immigration benefit applications, 

INS plans to devote $100 million toward backlog elimination efforts in FY 2003. These funds 

represent the second installment of the President’s five-year, $500-million initiative to achieve 

and maintain a universal six-month processing time standard for benefit applications while 

providing quality service to all INS customers. 

 The FY 2003 INS budget includes a total of $1.5 billion for Immigration Services. These 

resources will allow INS to complete processing of an anticipated 9.4 million applications and 

petitions in FY 2003, an increase in productivity of 34 percent over FY 2001. 

Support and Administration 

The FY 2003 budget will provide $143.5 million and 286 new positions to support 

several initiatives aimed at providing improved administrative support for INS enforcement and 

service operations. This includes significant improvements in information technology, physical 

security, legal support, and program evaluation. INS must provide its workforce with adequate 

facilities, upgraded management information systems, and sufficient support staff. These and 

other support resources are critical to building and sustaining the success of INS enforcement 

and service activities. In addition, this budget includes $53.3 million in funds to continue 

emergency counter-terrorism supplemental activities begun in FY 2002. 
FY 2003 INS Budget – Executive Summary 

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Summary of INS Increases 

FY 2003 Program Improvements Funding 

($ in 

millions)

Positions 

Border Enforcement $711.7 1,790

Interior Enforcement 19.7 137

Detention and Removals 50.5 3

Immigration Services 50.5 --

Support and Administration 143.5 286

Continuation of Emergency Supplemental 

Activities 

187.3 --

Net Pay and Inflationary Adjustments 74.8 

TOTAL $1,238 2,216