The Challenge

Paving the way for a quicker and more just system for asylum-seekers. U.S. asylum applications continue to rise, and Federal caseworkers tasked with vetting the applications found themselves facing a backlog of more than 300,000 cases. Each asylum case receives careful attention, and additional hurdles -- such as an outdated system reliant on sending and receiving physical files and entering manual data -- led to an unnecessarily slow and frustrating process for both the caseworkers and applicants. In addition, applicants often had to drive long distances -- sometimes as far as hundreds of miles -- to check their status in-person, as there was no way to check online.

The Solution

The Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate sought help to create a system that protected the U.S. from fraud and security as well as offered a fair process for asylees seeking protection in the U.S. Gray Co-founder’s Randall Weidberg and Ari Perez led a cross-functional digital services team to achieve the following goals:

• Be legally sufficient and nationally consistent

• Take less time to write & review

• Require less training

• Feel like a smaller burden to federal caseworkers

The new system involved a tool that automated tasks and made it easier for caseworkers to access the policies that pertain to each applicant. It also included a site for applicants to easily check their status without visiting an office. The team led more than 100 user testing sessions and trained caseworkers across the country to use the new system more effectively.

The Results

The new tool significantly increased efficiency and reduced approximately :30 minutes off the total time for processing each case. Additionally, Asylum Officers agreed the new tool was easy to use and more efficient. “I wish I had this when I was an asylum officer,” noted one supervisor.  

Areas of Expertise

• Product Management

• Human-Centered Design

• User Research

• User Experience Design

• Accessibility

• Agile Development

• DevOps

• Technical Leadership

• Digital Transformation

• React Development
  

** Gray Co-founder Randall Weidberg supported this project while serving as Product Lead and Digital Service Expert at the U.S. Digital Service

** Gray Co-founder Ari Perez supported this project while serving as Tech Lead and Digital Service Expert at the U.S. Digital Service