The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (Ombudsman), within the Department of Homeland Security, is pleased to announce that Nathan Stiefel has joined the office in the role of Deputy Ombudsman.
Prior to joining the Ombudsman’s Office, Stiefel served as Deputy Chief of the Office of Policy and Strategy within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In this position, he was responsible for leading more than 130 full-time federal employees carrying out the agency’s policy, regulatory, research and evaluation, and strategic planning functions.
“We’re excited to welcome Nathan Stiefel to the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman,” said Michael T. Dougherty, Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman. “His background in communication and engagement, along with his years of service at USCIS, will greatly benefit our office as we work to strengthen our relationship with the agency, improve the way we engage with the public, and carry out the mission of the Department of Homeland Security.”
Before joining the Office of Policy and Strategy, Stiefel served as Deputy Chief of the USCIS Office of Citizenship. In this role, he managed the day-to-day operations of the office and coordinated its citizenship education, outreach, and capacity-building initiatives. He joined the USCIS Office of Citizenship in 2006 and served in a variety of roles, including Chief of Staff and Division Chief for Policy and Programs.
The Ombudsman works to improve the quality of citizenship and immigration services delivered to the public by providing individual case assistance, identifying trends, and making recommendations to USCIS to address and resolve challenges within the immigration system. Established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Ombudsman’s Office is an independent, impartial, and confidential office within the Department of Homeland Security. The Ombudsman reports directly to the Deputy Secretary and is separate and independent of USCIS.
