Interviews people from around the world to determine their eligibility for benefits and to verify their reasons for wanting to remain in the United States. Adjudication Officers also help immigrants obtain permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship. Detention enforcement officers travel frequently and often work irregular hours. Many positions require employees to carry firearms and to learn to speak Spanish. INS employees learn to use firearms and speak and understand Spanish in residential training programs.
Training lasts from four weeks to five months, depending on the occupation.
INS offers an excellent benefits package that includes health and life insurance, sick leave, paid vacation, liberal retirement benefits and a financial savings plan. INS also offers excellent opportunities for overtime, and some positions offer special law enforcement pay. I was recruited right out of graduate school for the Presidential Management Program. I worked six months in 10 different agencies. It gave me a great opportunity to network and get an overall understanding of the federal government.