Entry into the United States by foreign-born individuals is strictly controlled.   The agencies involved in determining eligibility for entry are the United States Department of State (State Department or DOS)and its U.S. Consulates located in foreign countries, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and the Department of Labor (DOL).  The State Department controls entry into the U.S. by issuing visas or entry documents.  The USCIS controls the classification of status by adjudicating petitions and the amount of time that a person may remain in the U.S. by issuing I-94 cards at the port-of-entry.  The DOL works to protect the wages and jobs of U.S. workers by making prevailing wage determinations for H-1Bs and supervising the labor certification process.  

Responsibility for immigration functions will change as a result of recent legislation - The Homeland Security Act of 2002.  Basically, INS' responsibilities will be divided between departments within the Department of Homeland Security.  Immigration enforcement functions will be handled by the Bureau of Border Security.  Immigration benefits will now be administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Secretary of State, is vested exclusively with all authorities to administer and enforce all laws, and to issue regulations relating to the functions of consular officers in the granting or refusals of visas.