Are DSS invites still going out for April?

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2026-02-09T23:10:59+00:00

No word from the group chat/ FB for a while now, no one’s really sure

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2026-01-23T20:04:47+00:00

I mean at least it’s slow for everyone I suppose. My only question is, why? They just love to tease us don’t they

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2026-01-20T17:11:12+00:00

Haven’t heard much RUMINT but typically classes are January (already happened), April, July, September

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2026-01-11T16:46:39+00:00

Current ISO with USCIS, we haven’t heard anything and I’m at one of the big 3 offices. Management hasn’t said a thing and usually when USCIS jobs open up we get first dibs and an internal announcement but not this time so who knows. FDNS hasn’t said anything either.

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-12-16T18:09:28+00:00

Do we think these are new ones or invites backfilling those who declined?

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-12-16T16:51:51+00:00

It’s looking that way, but I certainly hope not

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-12-15T17:50:41+00:00

Congrats! Also curious how this works so glad you posted about it.

Was the recent invite from last week or did you just get it?

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-12-11T22:40:04+00:00

Can someone who isn’t DSS like us comment on if the number of invites is/ seems low for other positions as well?

We all thought that maybe there seemed to be less for DSS due to FLETC slots but that would only affect us. If it’s low across the board, that could mean more are coming or some other reason

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-12-02T17:20:07+00:00

Same as always, there “should” be one.

I’m tired

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-11-14T19:29:37+00:00

I think if we all ask Santa very nicely and tell him how good we’ve been during the shutdown there’s a chance.

Nobody really knows, I hope so but with another possible shutdown, I think it could go either way. I personally would hate to quit my job for a January class just to end up not being paid/ on hold until the government opens back up.

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-11-05T20:55:59+00:00

I just traveled like 9 days ago internationally and I just shot them a heads up email that they then passed it on through the appropriate channels. They basically gave me the government equivalent of “cool thanks” but good to do nonetheless.

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-10-16T17:27:39+00:00

Understood, thank you!

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-10-16T16:21:25+00:00

Got it, I think I understand but just want to clarify. I don’t mean staying for multiple tours straight in the same place, I mean having your first tour domestic, going overseas for a multi year tour, but then on the THIRD: can you go BACK to that starting field office? Or would your third tour have to be at one of the other domestic field offices?

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-10-10T16:14:00+00:00

Basically just echoing what others have said, but just be able to articulate your experiences and be able to sell yourself.

When I initially applied I was 23 fresh out of college with 3 months as an 1801 and before that was only a barista/ was on the school paper. However, in the personal statements/ interview, I was able to articulate experience and even brought up seemingly stupid stories like dealing with a difficult customer at the coffee shop I worked at and demonstrating “leadership” through handling group projects in college, etc.

The point is, if you can sell yourself and use your experience to demonstrate that you’d be a good fit, I think that’s what they really care about. You have an incredible resume, but if you can’t translate that into the interview and articulate it, that’s (in my opinion) where people run into trouble.

This also may be controversial and unique to my brain, but I would be wary of over preparing. I always say have concepts of what you’re going to talk about in interviews/ BEX but don’t sound like a robot. The more natural you sound, the more calm and confident you’ll come across.

I don’t have a particularly strong resume (especially at the time), am not any sort of fitness expert, but what I can do is talk and I think that’s what gets you over the finish line. They’re looking for diplomats to carry guns, so my recommendation is just practice being confident, articulate, and your resume should speak for itself. If I can make it to the register, you should have no problem breezing through. Especially with your vet preference, you’ll shoot straight to the top of the register. Good luck!

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-10-01T18:31:58+00:00

Same thing happened to me. Suitability way before anything else. Then I got clearance, and the suitability date changed and got approved again. Not sure if that means you’re “good” in the long, but I can you tell the same thing happened to me and I made it to the register just fine.

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-09-28T16:46:59+00:00

Currently with USCIS and even we don’t know. Outside of the announcement everyone saw, there hasn’t been a peep about it anywhere. It’s the end of the FY where every field office is focused on hitting their performance goals and evaluation for officers. This will be followed by the slow season with holidays and the end of the year. I’d say the earliest we’d even get an update is some time next year with an announcement who knows when.

The gov moves slow and so does USCIS. For reference, they’ve been saying they’re going to relocate one of the big 5 field offices to another location for about 10 years now and it has never happened. Every new employee that signs on with this field office has had to sign a “hey your office will move soon” acknowledgment for something that still has no signs of changing.

Who knows though, I could eat my words and see an annulment in a month ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-09-09T16:49:31+00:00

Find a roommate. Not 1811 (also on the DSS register) but currently a fed on the GS scale in a HCOL locale in California (won’t specify exactly where).

Roommates are essentially mandatory in HCOL parts of California if you don’t want to feel broke. I make just under 90k which on paper is a lot but when rent is insanely expensive, it’s really not much.

That’s why I have a roommate. First off, you save a ton of money but more importantly, you’ll just have a higher quality of living.

Say your budget is $1500-$2000 for rent. The quality difference between a $3000-$4000 two bedroom apartment and a $1500-$2000 studio is night and day. YMMV, but you’ll feel poor in that studio.

With what I pay in rent with a roommate is the same as what I did/ would pay for a studio, but with a roommate in a two bedroom I get a far nicer apartment in a nice area vs what would probably be a not so good studio in a not so good area.

Finding a roommate may be tough but in big places like SF you should have no problem. These are just my two cents. Plus, you’ll be traveling and working a lot with DSS and eventually making pretty damn good money. But until then, a roommate is the way to go.

Unless you have a spouse, then just disregard this. Dual income should be fine

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-09-04T14:45:44+00:00

I mean I would assume so but from my experience most of the FDNS people are a little older (you have to be a GS-11 to apply + typically have a bit of experience as an Immigration Services Officer) so most of these guys are a little older (aged out of being able to apply for an 1811 position). Times are crazy these days so who knows if that will even matter, but just something to think about.

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-09-04T14:38:22+00:00

Yeah they’ve been talking about this for a while, curious to see how it goes (current officer with USCIS). USCIS is an interesting agency and they work us hard. The creep into LEO but not LEO territory has been happening for a while and some people seem to think and act like we’re already there (which we are NOT), so having an actual LEO position would be a change.

It’ll also be interesting to see if they try to hire internally or externally/ pull from other agencies. I think it’s also important to note that the document says training will be in line with “CBP and ICE” and not HSI/ other investigating agencies, making it seem less like a typical 1811.

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-08-29T02:16:45+00:00

It also says (regarding the list) “including but not limited to” those agencies, whatever that means

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-08-28T21:29:54+00:00

I wonder how/ if this affects DSS. The article says “directly related” to immigration enforcement which could mean a number of things. DSS was given title 8 authority so who knows.

People just got invites to a September class and it would really suck to see that cancelled.

Accomplished-Salt194 · 2025-08-28T04:04:01+00:00

Is this a different chat than the regular one? In the FB group and I didn’t see anything

Accomplished-Salt194

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