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The Immigration and Naturalization Service's
Automated I-94 System

Report Number 01-18
August 6, 2001


APPENDIX III

Objective, Scope, and Methodology

Objective

Our objective was to evaluate the design and implementation of the Automated I-94 System.

Scope and Methodology

We performed the audit in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and, accordingly, included such tests of records and procedures as we deemed necessary. However, we may not be considered by others to be completely independent of the INS, as required by the standards, because the INS has reimbursed us for work that pertained to the INS fee-supported programs. Nonetheless, we consider ourselves independent and do not believe that our reimbursement arrangement with the INS has had any effect with regard to the conduct of our audit.

Generally, our audit focused on the INS's efforts to automate the collection of I-94 arrival and departure data from June 1995 to January 2001. Our work was performed at the offices of the INS headquarters in Washington, DC, as well as Philadelphia, PA, St. Louis, MO, Minneapolis, MN and Charlotte, NC. As part of our assessment of the Automated I-94 System, the Office of the Inspector General initiated and completed a separate audit of selected computer security controls designed to assure the integrity of the Automated I-94 System data.

To accomplish the audit objective, we: