Glossary and Acronyms:

Have you ever wondered what all those abbreviations mean that USCIS, CBP, or ICE places on your passports, I-94s or other documents? Well, now you will know!

The following document describes all of the common (and some not so common) abbreviations used by the Immigration Service, as well as the abbreviations for most of the USCIS offices.

ACB -- Administrative Center Burlington

ACD -- Administrative Center Dallas

ACE -- Accelerated Citizen Examination

ACL -- Administrative Center Laguna Niguel

ACPA -- Assistant Chief Patrol Agent

ACT -- Administrative Center Twin Cities

ADD -- Assistant District Director

ADDE -- Assistant District Director, Examinations

ADDI -- Assistant District Director, Investigations

ADDM -- Assistant District Director, Management

ADIT -- Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunication System

ADP-- Automated Data Processing

AFACS -- A-Files Accountability and Control System

A File -- Basic Alien File (contains Alien #)

AILA -- American Immigration Lawyers Association

AM -- Administrative Manual

AMIO -- Alien Migration Interdiction Operation

AMIS -- Asset Management Information System

ANI -- Automatic Number Identifier

AO -- Administrative Officer

AO -- Asylum Officer

AOC -- Asylum Officer Corps

AOIC -- Assistant Officer-in-Charge

APHIS -- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services

APIS -- Advance Passenger Information System

APO -- Administrative Center Property Officer

APP -- Annual Performance Plan or Automated Permit Port

ARC -- Alien Registration Card (Green Card)

ASC -- Application Support Center (Naturalization)

ASIS -- Anti-Smuggling Information System

ASU -- Anti-Smuggling Unit

ASVI -- Alien Status Verification Index

AUO -- Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime

AVLOS -- Automated Visa Lookout System

BACS -- Bond Accounting System

BAS -- Balanced Adjudications System

BCC -- Border Crossing Card (Mexico)

BCI -- Border Coordination Initiative

BCIC -- Border Crossing Identification Card (I-586)

BHRHA -- Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs

BIA -- Board of Immigration Appeals

BMIS -- Bond Management Information System

BOP -- Bureau of Prisons

BORTAC -- Border Patrol Tactical Unit (HQ at Biggs Army Airfield, TX)

BP -- Border Patrol

BPA -- Border Patrol Academy/Border Patrol Agent

BPR -- Border Process Re-Engineering Project

BPSH -- Border Patrol Sector Headquarters

BRP -- Backlog Reduction Plan (Naturalization)

BSC -- Baltimore Service Center (telephones)

CADRE -- Computer Assisted Detection and Reports Enhancement System

CAO -- Center Adjudications Officer

CAP -- Citizens Advisory Panel

CAP -- Contracting and Procurement

CAP -- Cuban Adjustment Program

CATI -- Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing

CATS -- Consolidate Asset Tracking System

CAWG -- Control Authorities Working Group

CBOs -- Community-Based Organizations

CBIC -- Canadian Border Intelligence Center

CBT -- Computer-Based Training

CCATTS -- Correspondence Control and Task Tracking System

CFOA -- Chief Financial Officers Act

CFR -- Code of Federal Regulations

CI -- Criminal Investigator; Cooperating Individual; Confidential Informant

CIC -- Crime Information Center

CIJ -- Chief Immigration Judge

CIMT -- Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude

CIPRIS -- Coordinated Interagency Partnership Regulating International Students, now SEVP

CIPS -- Combined Immigration and Public Health Inspection Procedure

CIR -- Commission on Immigration Reform

CIRP -- Computer Incident Response Program

CIS -- Central Index System

CLAIMS -- Computer Linked Application Information Management Systems

COLA -- Cost of living allowance

COTR -- Contracting Officer Technical Representative

COTS -- jail management, hotel and airline reservation software

CPA -- Chief Patrol Agent

CPS -- Current Population Survey (Census)

CR -- Contact Representative

CRO -- Central Region Office (Dallas)

CSC -- California Service Center (Laguna Niguel)

CSPM -- Computer Security Program Manager

CSR -- Customer Service Representative (IRM - Computer)

CSSO -- Computer Systems Security Officer

CTRS -- Critical Transaction Reporting System

CUSA -- Citizenship U.S.A.

C&TS -- Computer & Telecommunications System

D&D -- Detention and Deportation

DACS -- Deportable Alien Control System

DAO -- District Adjudication Officer; or Deputy Adjudications Officer

DAS -- Duty Assignment Sheet (Border Patrol)

DBM -- Distributed Budget Module

DCL -- Dedicated Commuter Lane

DCM -- Deputy Chief of Mission

DCOS -- Debt Collection System

DCPA -- Deputy Chief Patrol Agent

DD -- District Director

DDD -- Deputy District Director

DDOS -- Detention and Deportation Optimization System

DDP -- Detention and Deportation Program

DED -- Deferred Enforced Departure

DEO -- Detention Enforcement Officer

DFS -- Designated Fingerprint Service

DIAS -- Directives and Instructions Access System

DMS -- Detention Management System

DO -- District Office; or Deportation Officer

DOE -- Date of Entry

DOL -- Department of Labor

DOS -- Department of State

EAC -- Executive Associate Commissioner

EAD -- Employment Authorization Document

EFOIA -- Electronic Freedom of Information Act initiative

ELR -- Employee Labor Relations

ENFORCE -- Enforcement Case Tracking System

EOD -- Entrance On Duty

EOIR – Executive Office for Immigration Review

EPIC – El Paso Intelligence Center

ER -- Expedited Removal

ERO -- Eastern Region Office (Burlington, VT)

ETC -- Eastern Telephone Center

EVD -- Extended Voluntary Departure

EVP -- Employment Verification Pilot

EVRP -- Encrypted Voice Radio Program

EWI -- Entry Without Inspection

FAAS -- Foreign Affairs Administrative Support System

FACS -- Financial Accounting and Control System

FARES -- Fees and Applications Receipt and Entry System

FCC -- Fingerprint Clearance Coordination Center

FCO -- Files Control Office

FD-258 -- Fingerprint Card

FDL -- Forensic Document Laboratory

FEHBP -- Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

FEPA -- Federal Employee Pay Act

FEPCA -- Federal Employee Pay Comparability Act, 1990

FEGLI -- Federal Employees Group Life Insurance

FFMS -- Federal Financial Management System (will replace FACS)

FIPS -- FOIA/PA Information Processing System

FLIR -- Forward-Looking Infrared

FLETC -- Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

FLRA -- Fair Labor Relation Authority

FLSA -- Fair Labor Standard Act

FOIA/PA -- Freedom of Information Act/ Privacy Act

FOS/HM -- Field Operations Support & Hardware Maintenance

FRC -- Federal Records Centers

FSIP -- Federal Service Impasse Panel

FTE -- Full-Time Equivalent

FTP -- File Transfer Protocol

FTRs -- File Transfer Requests

GEMS -- General Counsel Management System

GMRA -- Government Management and Reform Act

GPRA -- Government Performance and Results Act

GREEN CARD -- Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-151 or I-551)

GUI -- Graphical User Interface

HMIO -- Haitian Migration Interdiction Operation

HPO -- HQ Property Officer

HQFFM -- HQ Office of Files and Forms Management

HQIAO -- HQ International Affairs

HQINS -- HQ Office of Inspections

HQIRM -- HQ Information Resource Management

HQISD -- HQ Immigration Services Division

HQMGM -- HQ Office of Management

HQOCR -- HQ Office of Congressional Relations

HQOIA -- HQ Internal Audit

HQONO -- HQ Office of Naturalization Operations

HQOPA -- HQ Office of Public Affairs

HQOPP -- HQ Office of Policy & Planning

HQOPS -- HQ Office of Field Operations

HQOCR -- HQ Office of Congressional Relations

HQPRG -- HQ Office of Programs

HQREC -- HQ Office of Records

HQSEC -- HQ Office of Security

HQCSP -- HQ Career Sustainment Program

HRO -- Human Resource Office

HTTP -- Hypertext Transfer Protocol (server)

HW -- Hardware

IA -- Immigration Agent; or Investigative Assistant

IAO -- Office of International Affairs

IATA -- International Air Transport Association

IBIS -- Interagency Border Inspection System

ICAD -- Integrated Computer Aided Detection

ICAO -- International Civil Aviation Organization

ICF -- Immigration Card Facility (Arlington, TX)

ICMS -- Investigations Case Management System

ICPS -- Integrated Card Production System

IDENT -- Automated Fingerprint Identification System

IDP -- In District Processing

IDO -- Immigration Detention Officer

IE -- Immigration Examiner

IFM -- Inspector’s Field Manual

IHP -- Institutional Hearing Program

II -- Immigration Inspector

IIE -- Integrated Interior Enforcement

IIO -- Immigration Information Officer

IIRIRA -- Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act

IJ -- Immigration Judge

INA -- Immigration and Nationalty Act

INAB -- Inspections National Advisory Board

INSERTS -- INS Easy Research & Transmittal System

INSPASS -- INS Passenger Accelerated Service System

INSpect -- INS Program for Excellence and Comprehensive Tracking

INTEX -- Inspections Travelers Examination

INV -- Investigations

IO -- Immigration Officer

IOA -- Immigration Officer Academy

IOBTC -- Immigration Officer Basic Training Course

IRC -- Internet Relay Chat (server)

IRCA -- Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

IRM -- Information Resources Management

IRP -- Institutional Removal Program

ISA -- Information System Architecture

ISIS -- Integrated Surveillance Information System

ISP -- Internet Service Provider

IT -- Information Technology

IV -- Immigration Visa

IVR -- Interactive Voice Response

IV&V -- Independent Validation and Verification

JABS -- Joint Automated Booking System

JEVP -- Joint Employment Verification Pilot Program (SSA/INS)

JMD -- Justice Management Division

JPATS -- Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation Service

JTTF -- Joint Terrorism Task Force

JVA -- Joint Voluntary Agency

LAN -- Local Area Network

LAPR -- Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence

LAPS -- Legalization Application Processing System

LAW -- Legally Authorized (or Admitted) Worker