U.S. immigration agency replaces Trump-era mission statement that removed "nation of immigrants" label

The federal agency that oversees the legal immigration system on Wednesday replaced a controversial Trump-era mission statement that had removed the "nation of immigrants" label, calling the U.S. "a nation of welcome and possibility" in its new creed.

In an internal message to agency employees, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou said the new mission statement better reflects the Biden administration's "commitment to an immigration system that is accessible and humane."

"We strive to provide a timely decision, be it yes or no, and with the utmost respect, to every petitioner or person who seeks a benefit from USCIS, be it a U.S. citizen seeking to reunite with a family member, a U.S. business attempting to hire a skilled foreign national, a lawful permanent resident seeking naturalization, or a person who hopes to find a place of refuge from persecution," Jaddou wrote.