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The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agency that manages the country's immigration and naturalization system, established in 2003 to replace the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which was split into USCIS, ICE, and CBP. Its core functions include processing immigrant visa petitions, asylum and refugee applications, green cards (adjustment of status), and naturalization, as well as issuing employment authorization documents and adjudicating temporary worker petitions. In a notable shift during September 2025, DHS expanded USCIS's law enforcement role by creating a special agent force to investigate visa and immigration fraud, and also introduced a controversial policy to screen candidates for "anti-American" or "antisemitic" views, which drew criticism for its vagueness. To become a citizen, a lawful permanent resident generally needs five continuous years of residency, but this is shortened to three years if married to and living with a U.S. citizen. USCIS uses "I-" forms for immigration (like the I-551 card) and "N-" forms for naturalization (like the N-400 application), while immigration courts and judges operate under the Department of Justice, not DHS. The agency's website was redesigned in 2009 and now includes a virtual assistant named Emma, and its history includes a 2019 ruling that declared the tenure of acting director Ken Cuccinelli unlawful.