Summary: Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the number of women and minority employees at the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) at grade 11 or higher, focusing on their appointment, promotion, and separation. GAO found that: (1) between 1984 and 1992, the number of women and Hispanic men at grades 11 or higher substantially increased in comparison to white men; (2) the number of black and white men increased only slightly at grades 11 and 12 and generally decreased between grades 13 and 15; (3) Hispanic men entered the workforce in higher numbers and were separated less; (4) black women entered and separated from the workforce in relatively low numbers and black men entered and separated from the workforce in relatively high numbers; (5) the percentage of separated and discharged black men over the 5-year period was at least double the percentage of black men in the INS workforce in general; and (6) minority men and women were promoted in relative numbers that were equal to or exceeded the numbers at which they were employed.
