USCIS CARRP Program

Millions of aspiring Americans apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) each year. But under a previously unknown national security program known as the "Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program" (CARRP), the government excludes many applicants from Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian communities from these opportunities by delaying and denying their applications without legal authority. Learn more about CARRP and how it has harmed the naturalization process.

Notice to Potential Class Members
Case page

"Muslims Need Not Apply"

Practice Advisory: USCIS's Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program
Addendum 1: Example FOIA request to USCIS
Addendum 2: Example de novo review complaint
Addendum 3: Example federal court mandamus

Time to End Unlawful and Discriminatory Citizenship Practices
Unequal Access to Citizenship for Muslims

First FOIA Request (June 16, 2010)
Second FOIA Request (May 17, 2012)

The following USCIS documents and video were obtained by the ACLU through Freedom of Information Act requests. These documents are cited and referred to in the "Muslims Need Not Apply" report.

CARRP Deconfliction Video

Video footage used by USCIS to train officers on deconfliction
(Received from USCIS pursuant to FOIA request)

• CARRP Processing IST 2012 (Apr. 11, 2013)
• CARRP Adjudicator Training ADOTC v. 1.0 (Mar. 5, 2013)
• Handling Potential National Security Concerns with No Identifiable Records (Aug. 29, 2012)
• CARRP Course Powerpoint – Natl Sec. Division, FDNS v.2.3.1 (Jan. 2012)
• FDNS CARRP Independent Study PowerPoint (Dec. 28, 2011) Version 1, Version 2
• USCIS National Security Branch CARRP Training Materials (Sep. 2011)
• Revision of Responsibilities for CARRP Cases Involving KST (July 26, 2011)
• National Background, Identity, and Security Check Operating Procedures Handbook (Dec. 17, 2010)
• Refugee Affairs Division Training Q&A Summary (Jan. 2010)
• Refugee Affairs Division In-Service Training 2010 - IST Summary Points: CARRP
• Clarification and Delineation of Vetting and Adjudication Resps. for CARRP (June 5, 2009)
• Guidance for Identifying NS Concerns (USCIS CARRP Training) (Mar. 2009)
• Uniform Instruction for Standardized CARRP File Identification and Movement of CARRP Cases within USCIS (Mar. 26, 2009)
• Additional Guidance on Issues Re the Vetting and Adjudication of Cases w NS Concerns (Feb. 6, 2009)
• Domestic Operations Directorate CARRP Workflows
• Issuance of Revised Section of the Identity and Security Checks Procedures Manual Regarding Vetting and Adjudicating Cases with National Security Concerns (May 14, 2008) (largely redacted)
• CARRP Operational Guidance, Refugee Affairs Division (May 14, 2008) (largely redacted)
• Operational Guidance for Vetting and Adjudicating Cases with National Security Concerns (Apr. 24, 2008)
• CARRP Policy for Vetting and Adjudicating Cases w NS Concerns (Apr. 11, 2008)
• CARRP Deconfliction, Vetting and Adjudication of NS Concerns – Training PowerPoint v. 1.4
• Supplemental Guidance: Revision of Responsibilities for CARRP Cases Involving Known or Suspected Terrorists
• CARRP Training Materials for Asylum Division
• CARRP Study Guide
• CARRP Workflows
• USCIS Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations (RAIO) Directorate - Combined Officer Training Course (Apr. 24, 2013)
• USCIS Officer Academy - National Security Course 235 Instructor Guide (Feb. 2013)
• USCIS Officer Academy - Terrorist-Related Inadmissibility Grounds (TRIG) Instructor Guide (Jun. 2012)
• FDNS Screening Coordination Office Program and Staffing Plan (Mar. 22, 2012)
• USCIS Officer Academy - National Security Course 235 Participant Guide (Jan. 2012)
• Updated Background Identity and Security Check Requirements for Refugee/Asylee Following-to-Join Processing (Mar. 29, 2011) (largely redacted)
• Implementation of New Discretionary Exemption under INA Sec. 212(d)(3)(B)(i) for Activities Related to the INC, KDP, and PUK (Jan. 23, 2010)
• Revised Guidance on Adjudication of Cases involving Terrorist-Related Inadmissibility grounds and Amendment to the Hold Policy for such Cases (Feb. 13, 2009)
• Revised Guidance re Adjudication of Form I-90 (Feb. 6, 2009)
• Fraud Detection and National Security Priorities (Sep. 5, 2008) (largely redacted)
• Refugee Adjudication SOP re NS Cases (May 14, 2008) (largely redacted)
• Processing the Discretionary Exemption to the Inadmissibility Ground for Providing Material Support to Certain Terrorist Organizations (May 24, 2007)
• Updates to Asylum Officer Basic Training Course, Lessons as a Result of Amendments to the INA Enacted by the REAL ID Act (May 11, 2006)
• Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for USCIS Employees and Contractors (Mar. 1, 2006) (largely redacted)
• Revised Instructions for Processing Asylum Terrorist/Suspected Terrorist Cases (Jan. 26, 2005) (largely redacted)
• DHS Guidelines for Use of Classified Info in Immigration Proceedings (Oct. 4, 2004)
• USCIS Officer Academy - National Security Course 235 PowerPoint
• Background Check and Adjudicative Assessment (BCAA) Worksheet
• USCIS Security Checklist
• USCIS National Security Quarterly Workload and Aging Reports FY2013 - 4th Quarter (Jul - Sep 2013)
• USCIS National Security Quarterly Workload and Aging Reports FY2013 - 3rd Quarter (Apr - Jun 2013)
• USCIS National Security Quarterly Workload and Aging Reports FY2012 - 3rd Quarter (Apr - Jun 2012)
• USCIS National Security Monthly Case Load and Aging Reports (Mar 2009 - Jun 2011)
• FY 2008-2012 Receipts in CLAIMS3 for Selected Countries by Form and Fiscal Year
• FY 2008-2012 Approvals and Denials in CLAIMS3 for Selected Countries by Form and Fiscal Year
• FY 2008-2012 Receipts in CLAIMS4 for Selected Countries by Form and Fiscal Year (Apr. 12, 2013)
• USCIS Service-Wide Receipts and Approvals for All Form Types FY 2011 (Oct. 2010 - Sep. 2011) (Nov. 8, 2011)
• USCIS Service-Wide Receipts and Approvals for All Form Types FY 2012 (Oct. 2011 - Sep. 2012) (Nov. 6, 2012)
• Persons with NS Concerns by Country and NS Concern Type: FY 2009-2012
• Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence (I-751) Performance Data by Fiscal Year and Country of Birth for FY 2008-2012 (Apr. 29, 2014)
• Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) Performance Data by Fiscal Year and Beneficiary Country of Birth for FY 2008-2012 (Apr. 17, 2014)
• Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative Performance Data by Fiscal Year and Select Beneficiary Country of Birth for FY 2008-2012 (Apr. 18, 2014)
• Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status Receipts by Fiscal Year and Select Beneficiary Country of Birth for FY 2008-2012 (Apr. 16, 2014)
• Application for Naturalization (N-400) Performance Data by Country of Birth for FY 2008-2012 (Apr. 18, 2014)
• Receipts with NS Concerns by Country and NS Concerns by Type for FY 2005 - 2012
• Persons with NS Concerns by Country and NS Concerns by Type for FY 2005 - 2012
• Monitoring Reports on Target to Complete CARRP Stages Up To and Including External Vetting on NS Concerns within 180 days