Testimony before the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission)

Testimony before the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission).

"Mr. Chairman and Members of the Commission: Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I will assist in any way that I can with the important work you are doing. 

I have been asked to provide information about the context, priorities, and progress that characterized my tenure as Commissioner of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) from 1993-2000. In addition, you have asked for my recommendations regarding future policy and actions. 

Prior to becoming INS Commissioner, I had worked for 13 years in various positions in the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan administrations providing staff advice to the Attorney General and other senior department officials on immigration matters. In addition, during the Reagan administration, I served as Acting Commissioner of INS for more than a year and as Executive Associate Commissioner, the number three position in the agency, for four years. So when I assumed the duties of Commissioner in the Clinton administration, I came to the assignment with some background in the policy and administrative challenges facing INS and a commitment to wide-ranging agency reform. [...]"