WASHINGTON, Aug 17: James Ziglar, the head of the US Immigration Service, on Friday announced he would step down as commissioner of the agency, which has been plagued by blunders over the past year.

Ziglar sent a letter to President Bush informing him that he wanted to return to the private sector. He said there was no set date for his departure and he would stay on as commissioner until the Department of Homeland Security is officially created by Congress.—Reuters