The objectives of the  Transformation Program are to allow applicants to establish an account with USCIS to file and track the  status of the application, petition, or request online;  the USCIS Electronic Immigration System (USCIS ELIS), which is the  main component of the program, to apply risk-based rules  automatically to incoming applications, petitions, and requests to  identify potentially fraudulent applications and national security risks; adjudicators to have electronic access to applications, petitions, and  requests, relevant policies and procedures, and external databases;
USCIS to have management information to track and allocate
USCIS ELIS to have electronic linkages to other agencies, such as  the Departments of Justice and State, for data sharing and security  purposes. Transformation Program Has Experienced Significant Cost Increases and Schedule Delays

Since USCIS began implementation of the Transformation Program in  2006, the effort has experienced significant cost increases and schedule  delays. In particular, the program’s most recent baseline, approved in  April 2015, indicates that the Transformation Program will cost up to $3.1  billion and be fully deployed no later than March 2019.This is an increase  of approximately $1 billion with a delay of more than 4 years from its initial  July 2011 acquisition program baseline. In May 2015, we reported that changes in  the Transformation Program acquisition strategy intended, in part, to  address the breach had contributed to significant delays in the program’s  planned schedule. With the continuing delays, however,  USCIS will continue to incur such costs while the program awaits full  implementation. For example, the Transformation  Program is expected to implement organizational and business process  changes to better use the new electronic system. Given  this history and the subsequent commitment of additional resources for a  new USCIS ELIS, it is more important than ever that USCIS consistently  follow key practices associated with software development, systems  integration and testing, and contract management and execute effective  program oversight and governance. Inconsistent Software Development Practices Risk Further Program  Costs and Delays  In July 2016, we reported that the program had at least partially adhered  to 7 of 8 key practices for effectively managing Agile software  development in producing USCIS ELIS. For example, the program had established an environment and  procedures for continuous integration and was conducting unit and  integration, functional acceptance, interoperability, and end user tests, as  well as performing code inspection. However, we also found that the  program was not consistently adhering to its policies and guidance or  meeting benchmarks for unit and integration, and functional acceptance  tests, and code inspection. We reported that the implementation of systems integration and testing  deviated from key practices in part because policy and guidance were not  being updated to reflect changes in the approach. At that time, this risk was already being realized. Specifically, the program had reported experiencing issues with USCIS  ELIS as a result of deploying software that had not been fully tested. In January 2016, the program reported more than 800 minutes in  unplanned network outages. For example, we reported that
The Agile development services contract contained appropriate  performance criteria that linked to the program goals, but the program  did not clearly define measures against which to analyze differences  between services expected and those delivered. If the agency does not address issues in its efforts to develop  and test software, oversee contractors, and govern the program it risks  additional cost increases, schedule delays, and performance shortfalls. In  addition, continued delays limit the program’s ability to achieve critical  goals, such as delivering system functionality to enhance customer  service and enhancing national security. Immigration Benefits System: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services  Can Improve Program Management, GAO-16-467 (Washington, D.C.:  July 7, 2016). Recommendation  17.
Why GAO Did This Study

Each year, USCIS processes millions of applications from foreign nationals seeking to study, work, visit, or live in the United States, and for persons seeking to become U.S. citizens. In 2006, USCIS began the Transformation Program to enable electronic adjudication and case management tools that would allow users to apply and track their applications online.
It is essential that USCIS deploy a seamless electronic system to help ensure the integrity of the immigration process. Such a system should allow the agency to more accurately process immigration and citizenship benefits in a timely manner and identify fraudulent and criminal activity.
This statement summarizes GAO's most recent reports on USCIS's Transformation Program. These reports focus on cost increases and schedule delays and program management challenges that have contributed to increasing risks to the new system. GAO identified the program as one of ten federal high-risk investments in need of attention in 2015.

What GAO Found

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USCIS) most recent cost and schedule baseline, approved in April 2015, indicates that its Transformation Program will cost up to $3.1 billion and be fully deployed no later than March 2019. This is an increase of approximately $1 billion with a delay of more than 4 years from its initial July 2011 acquisition program baseline. In addition, the program is currently working to develop a new cost and schedule baseline to reflect further delays. Due to the program's recurring schedule delays, USCIS will continue to incur costs for maintaining its existing systems while the program awaits full implementation. Moreover, USCIS's ability to achieve program goals, including enhanced national security, better customer service, and operational efficiency improvements, will be delayed.
Recurring delays are partly the result of challenges in program management. In July 2016, GAO reported that the USCIS Transformation Program had fully addressed some, and partially addressed many other key practices for implementing software development, conducting systems integration and testing, and monitoring the largest program contractors. Nevertheless, GAO reported that the program inconsistently adhered to these practices. For example,
The program had established an environment and procedures for continuously integrating functionality and was conducting various tests and inspections of new software code. However, the program was not consistently adhering to its policies and guidance or meeting stated benchmarks for testing and inspections.
The program had reported experiencing issues such as production defects and bugs in the system as a result of deploying software that had not been fully tested.
The program had mixed success in monitoring its contractors for six contracts that GAO reviewed. For example, a development services contract contained appropriate performance criteria that linked to the program goals, but the program did not clearly define measures against which to analyze differences between services expected and those delivered.
Its software development approach deviated from key practices in part because USCIS policy and guidance were not being updated.
Given the history of development for the Transformation Program and the subsequent commitment of additional resources for a new system, it is more important than ever that USCIS consistently follow key practices in its system development efforts. For example, the program has already reported realizing risks associated with deploying software that has not been fully tested, such as system bugs, defects, and unplanned network outages. If the agency does not address the issues GAO has identified in prior work, then it will continue to experience significant risk for increased costs, further schedule delays, and performance shortfalls.

What GAO Recommends

In its prior reports, GAO made 30 recommendations to address weaknesses in the management and acquisition of the Transformation Program. USCIS concurred and has fully addressed 17 of the 30 recommendations to date.