Yesterday, the U.S. government started a new web-based program that
lets immigration applicants check the status of their cases through
text messages and emails. This new program is another way to minimize
red tape through technological innovation, according to administration
officials. The government is also currently developing a new way for
individuals in the U.S. to receive emergency info from the government,
along with consumer product recalls and other important alerts, through
electronic means. The new immigration tracking method and the proposed
emergency alert system are both part of a method to fundamentally
change the way the government communicates with those residing in the
U.S.
These efforts are “fundamentally changing the default of the public
sector,” said Vivek Kundra, the government’s Chief Information Officer.
“You’re seeing a result of a transparent and open government the
president talked about.”
The new immigration alert system will, among other things, remind
applicants if portions of their application are not complete (e.g.,
digital fingerprints not recorded successfully). Instead of applicants
having to contact the government for information, this information will
now be outbound through the new e-alert system.
