This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

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# Rules and Regulations Federal Register 

### 10633

Vol. 75, No. 45

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

**DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND**
**SECURITY**

**Office of the Secretary**

**6 CFR Part 5**

**[Docket No. DHS–2009–0415]**

**Privacy Act of 1974: Implementation of Exemptions; Department of Homeland**  **Security United States Immigration and**
**Customs Enforcement—011 Immigration and Enforcement**  **Operational Records System of**

**Records**

**AGENCY :**  Privacy Office, DHS.

**ACTION :**  Final rule.

**SUMMARY :**  The Department of Homeland Security is issuing a final rule to amend its regulations to exempt portions of a Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement system of records titled, ‘‘Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement—011 Removable Alien Records System of
Records ’’ renamed ‘‘Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement—011 Immigration and Enforcement Operational Records System of Records’’ from certain provisions of the Privacy Act. Specifically, the Department exempts portions of the Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement—011 Immigration and Enforcement Operational Records system from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, and
administrative enforcement requirements.

**DATES :**  Effective Date: This final rule is effective March 9, 2010.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For general questions please contact: Lyn Rahilly (202–732–3300), Privacy Officer, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 500 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20536; e-mail: ICEPrivacy@dhs.gov. For privacy issues please contact: Mary Ellen Callahan (703–235–0780), Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC

20528.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 
Background

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register , 74 FR 30240, June 25, 2009, proposing to exempt portions of the system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement requirements. The DHS/ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—011 Removable Alien Records system of records notice was published concurrently in the Federal Register , 74 FR 5665, January 30, 2009, and later updated in the Federal Register to add two new routine uses, 74 FR 20719, May 5, 2009. The system is being renamed DHS/ICE—011 Immigration and Enforcement Operational Records system of records.
Comments were invited on both the notice of proposed rulemaking and system of records notice. Three
comments were received on the notice of proposed rulemaking and system of
records notice.

Public Comments

The comment received on the notice of proposed rulemaking did not pertain to the notice of proposed rulemaking or system of records notice, but instead expressed the commenter’s general views on immigration. DHS/ICE received two positive comments on the system of records notice expressing support for the two new routine uses added in the updated system of records notice. DHS will implement the rulemaking as proposed.

List of Subjects in 6 CFR Part 5

Freedom of information; Privacy.

■ For the reasons stated in the preamble, DHS amends Chapter I of Title 6, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows:

**PART 5—DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS**
**AND INFORMATION**

■ 1. The authority citation for Part 5
continues to read as follows: Authority: Pub. L. 107–296, 116 Stat. 2135, 6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.; 5 U.S.C. 301. Subpart A also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552. Subpart B also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552a.

■ 2. Add at the end of Appendix C to Part 5, the following new paragraph ‘‘48 ’’
to read as follows:

Appendix C to Part 5—DHS Systems of Records Exempt From the Privacy Act

* * * * *

48. The DHS/ICE–011 Immigration and Enforcement Operational Records system of records consists of electronic and paper records and will be used by DHS and its components. The DHS/ICE–011 Immigration and Enforcement Operational Records system of records is a repository of information held by DHS in connection with its several and varied missions and functions, including, but
not limited to: The enforcement of civil and criminal laws; investigations, inquiries, and proceedings there under; and national security and intelligence activities. The DHS/ ICE–011 Immigration and Enforcement Operational Records system of records contains information that is collected by, on behalf of, in support of, or in cooperation with DHS and its components and may contain personally identifiable information collected by other federal, state, local, tribal, foreign, or international government agencies. The Secretary of Homeland Security has exempted this system from the following provisions of the Privacy Act, subject to the limitations set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and (4); (d); (e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), (e)(4)(G), (e)(4)(H), (e)(5), and (e)(8); (f); and (g) pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2). Additionally, the Secretary of Homeland Security has exempted this system from the following provisions of the Privacy Act, subject to the limitations set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3); (d); (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (e)(4)(H); and (f) pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2). Exemptions from these particular subsections are justified, on a case-by-case basis to be determined at the time a request is made, for the following reasons:

(a) From subsection (c)(3) and (4) (Accounting for Disclosures) because release of the accounting of disclosures could alert the subject of an investigation of an actual or potential criminal, civil, or regulatory violation to the existence of the investigation, and reveal investigative interest on the part of DHS as well as the recipient agency. Disclosure of the accounting would therefore present a serious impediment to law enforcement efforts and/or efforts to preserve national security. Disclosure of the accounting would also permit the individual who is the subject of a record to impede the investigation, to tamper with witnesses or evidence, and to avoid detection or apprehension, which would undermine the entire investigative process.

(b) From subsection (d) (Access to Records)
because access to the records contained in


### 10634 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 45 / Tuesday, March 9, 2010 / Rules and Regulations

1 To view the interim rule and the comments we received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/ fdmspublic/component/

main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2006-0096. this system of records could inform the subject of an investigation of an actual or potential criminal, civil, or regulatory violation, to the existence of the investigation, and reveal investigative interest on the part of DHS or another agency. Access to the records could permit the individual who is the subject of a record to impede the investigation, to tamper with witnesses or evidence, and to avoid detection or apprehension. Amendment of the records could interfere with ongoing investigations
and law enforcement activities and would impose an impossible administrative burden by requiring investigations to be continuously reinvestigated. In addition, permitting access and amendment to such information could disclose security-sensitive
information that could be detrimental to homeland security.

(c) From subsection (e)(1) (Relevancy and Necessity of Information) because in the course of investigations into potential violations of Federal law, the accuracy of
information obtained or introduced occasionally may be unclear or the information may not be strictly relevant or necessary to a specific investigation. In the interests of effective law enforcement, it is appropriate to retain all information that may aid in establishing patterns of unlawful activity.

(d) From subsection (e)(2) (Collection of Information from Individuals) because requiring that information be collected from the subject of an investigation would alert the subject to the nature or existence of an investigation, thereby interfering with the related investigation and law enforcement

activities.

(e) From subsection (e)(3) (Notice to Subjects) because providing such detailed information would impede law enforcement in that it could compromise investigations by: Revealing the existence of an otherwise confidential investigation and thereby provide an opportunity for the subject of an investigation to conceal evidence, alter patterns of behavior, or take other actions that could thwart investigative efforts; reveal the identity of witnesses in investigations, thereby providing an opportunity for the subjects of the investigations or others to harass, intimidate, or otherwise interfere
with the collection of evidence or other information from such witnesses; or reveal the identity of confidential informants, which would negatively affect the informant’s usefulness in any ongoing or future investigations and discourage members of the public from cooperating as confidential informants in any future investigations.

(f) From subsections (e)(4)(G) and (H) (Agency Requirements), and (f) (Agency Rules) because portions of this system are exempt from the individual access provisions of subsection (d) for the reasons noted above, and therefore DHS is not required to establish requirements, rules, or procedures with respect to such access. Providing notice to individuals with respect to existence of records pertaining to them in the system of records or otherwise setting up procedures pursuant to which individuals may access and view records pertaining to themselves in the system would undermine investigative efforts and reveal the identities of witnesses, and potential witnesses, and confidential
informants.

(g) From subsection (e)(5) (Collection of Information) because in the collection of information for law enforcement purposes it is impossible to determine in advance what information is accurate, relevant, timely, and complete. Compliance with (e)(5) would preclude DHS agents from using their investigative training and exercise of good judgment to both conduct and report on investigations.

(h) From subsection (e)(8) (Notice on Individuals) because compliance would interfere with DHS’ ability to obtain, serve, and issue subpoenas, warrants, and other law enforcement mechanisms that may be filed under seal, and could result in disclosure of investigative techniques, procedures, and
evidence.

(i) From subsection (g) to the extent that the system is exempt from other specific subsections of the Privacy Act relating to individuals’ rights to access and amend their records contained in the system. Therefore DHS is not required to establish rules or procedures pursuant to which individuals may seek a civil remedy for the agency’s: Refusal to amend a record; refusal to comply with a request for access to records; failure to maintain accurate, relevant timely and complete records; or failure to otherwise comply with an individual’s right to access
or amend records.

Dated: February 5, 2010.
Mary Ellen Callahan, Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security.

[FR Doc. 2010–4900 Filed 3–8–10; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 9111–28–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Animal and Plant Health Inspection**
**Service**

**7 CFR Part 354**

**[Docket No. APHIS–2006–0096]**

**RIN 0579–AC06**

**Agricultural Inspection and AQI User Fees Along the U.S./Canada Border** 

**AGENCY :**  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

**ACTION :**  Final rule.

**SUMMARY :**  We are adopting as a final rule, with changes, an interim rule that amended the foreign quarantine and user fee regulations by removing the exemptions from inspection for imported fruits and vegetables grown in Canada and the exemptions from user fees for commercial vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft, and international air passengers entering the United States from Canada. The interim rule was necessary in part because we were not recovering the costs of the inspection activities we were engaged in at the U.S./Canada border. In addition, our data showed an increasing number of interceptions on the U.S./Canada border of prohibited material that originated in
Canada and countries other than Canada that presents a high risk of introducing plant pests or animal diseases into the United States. These findings, combined with additional Canadian airport preclearance data on interceptions of ineligible agricultural products approaching the U.S. border from Canada, strongly indicated that we needed to expand and strengthen our pest exclusion and smuggling
interdiction efforts at that border. As a result of the interim rule, all agricultural products imported from Canada are subject to inspection, and all commercial conveyances, with certain exceptions established by this final rule, as well as airline passengers arriving on flights from Canada, are subject to user
fees.

**DATES :**  Effective Date: March 9, 2010.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Ms. Cynthia Stahl, Senior Staff Officer, Quarantine Policy, Analysis and Support, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 60, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301)

734–8415.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 
Background

The regulations in 7 CFR part 319 prohibit or restrict the importation of certain plants and plant products into the United States to prevent the introduction of plant pests. Similarly, the regulations in 9 CFR subchapter D prohibit or restrict the importation of certain animals and animal products into the United States to prevent the introduction of pests or diseases of livestock. The regulations in 7 CFR part 354 provide rates and requirements for overtime services relating to imports and exports and for user fees.

In an interim rule 1 effective November 24, 2006, and published in
the Federal Register on August 25, 2006 (71 FR 50320–50328, Docket APHIS– 2006–0096), we amended the foreign quarantine regulations in part 319 and the user fee regulations in part 354 by removing the exemptions from inspection for imported fruits and vegetables grown in Canada and the exemptions from user fees for commercial vessels, commercial trucks,