Former Department of Homeland Security

Prakash Khatri has been practicing law for more than 40 years. He is a nationally recognized expert on Immigration law and process. He is the President and managing attorney of Khatri Law Firm, LLC.The primary focus of the practice is resolving complex post filing issues involving USCIS, CBP, ICE and the Department of State. He regularly represents individuals, companies and law firms on these issues. 

From July 2003 until March 2008, Mr. Khatri was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as the United States’ first Ombudsman for Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS), a senior leadership position in the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. 

As CIS Ombudsman and a recognized expert on immigration matters, Mr. Khatri provided senior executive leadership, vision, and direction to policy makers in several cabinet-level agencies. An immigrant himself, Mr. Khatri was regularly consulted for advice by policymakers in the Departments of Homeland Security, State, Labor and Justice, the Office of Management and Budget, and the White House on immigration-related matters. 

During his nearly five years with the Department of Homeland Security, Mr. Khatri developed and delivered numerous recommendations to the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for changes to the immigration benefits process. Mr. Khatri based his proposals on input collected from USCIS workers throughout the world, visits to U.S. border posts and airports, meetings with Homeland Security immigration officials, and consultations with thousands of individuals, Fortune 500 corporation and other employer representatives, lawyers, professional organizations and community-based organizations across the country. 

In his work on departmental immigration reform initiatives, Mr. Khatri devoted himself to identifying solutions that would improve the delivery of services to immigrants, eliminate wasteful processes, and enhance the security of the homeland. 

Before being appointed Ombudsman by President Bush, Mr. Khatri managed the Immigration Compliance Department for Walt Disney World Co. in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. At Disney, Mr. Khatri managed a team of professionals that provided technical immigration advice to the Walt Disney World Resort as well as numerous other Walt Disney Company subsidiaries and affiliates.