[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 154 (Friday, August 13, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44593-44594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17510]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

8 CFR Parts 212, 214, 245 and 274a

[CIS No. 2507-11; DHS Docket No USCIS-2011-0010]
RIN 1615-AA59


Classification for Victims of Severe; Forms of Trafficking in 
Persons; Eligibility for ``T'' Nonimmigrant Status; Extension of 
Comment Period

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of 
Homeland Security.

ACTION: Interim final rule; extension of the comment period.

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SUMMARY: On July 16, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 
reopened the public comment period for the interim final rule titled 
``Classification for Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons; 
Eligibility for ``T'' Nonimmigrant Status,'' with a comment period 
ending August 16, 2021. DHS is announcing that the reopened comment 
period will be extended an additional 30 days. As part of this 
rulemaking, DHS will consider comments received during the entire 
public comment period, including comments received since July 16, 2021.

DATES: The comment period for the interim final rule published at 81 FR 
92266 (Dec. 19, 2016), which was reopened on July 16, 2021, at 86 FR 
37670, is extended. Written comments and related material must be 
submitted on or before September 14, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the entirety of this rule 
package, to include the related information collection requirements set 
forth in the 2016 interim final rule (IFR), which is identified as DHS 
Docket No. USCIS-2011-0010, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal 
http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the website instructions for 
submitting comments. Comments submitted in another manner, including 
emails or letters sent to DHS or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services (USCIS) officials, will not be considered comments on the rule 
and may not receive a response from DHS. Please note that DHS and USCIS 
cannot accept any comments that are hand delivered or couriered. In 
addition, USCIS cannot accept comments contained on any form of digital 
media storage devices, such as CDs/DVDs and USB drives. Due to COVID-
19, USCIS is also not accepting mailed comments at this time. If you 
cannot submit your comment by using http://www.regulations.gov, please 
contact Samantha Deshommes, Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, 
Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services, Department of Homeland Security, by telephone at 240-721-3000 
for alternate instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andria Strano, Acting Branch Chief, 
Humanitarian Affairs Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services, DHS, 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, 
Camp Springs, MD 20746; telephone 240-721-3000 (this is not a toll-free 
number). Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the 
telephone numbers above via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal 
Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested persons are invited to 
participate in this rulemaking by submitting written data, views, or 
arguments on all aspects of this rule. DHS also invites comments that 
relate to the economic or federalism effects that might result from 
this rule. Comments that will provide the most assistance to DHS will 
reference a specific portion of the rule, explain the reason for any 
recommended change, and include data, information, or authority that 
support such recommended change.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and DHS Docket No. USCIS-20011-0010. Providing comments is entirely 
voluntary. Regardless of how comments are submitted to DHS, all 
submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal 
information provided by commenters. Because the information submitted 
will be publicly available, commenters should consider limiting the 
amount of personal information provided in each submission. DHS may 
withhold information provided in comments from public viewing if it 
determines that such information is offensive or may affect the privacy 
of an individual. For additional information, please read the Privacy 
Act notice available through the link in the footer of http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov 
and enter this rulemaking's eDocket number USCIS 2011-0010.

Background

    On December 19, 2016, DHS published an interim final rule (IFR) in 
the Federal Register at 81 FR 92266 and received 17 public comments. In 
this IFR, USCIS amended its regulations governing the classification 
for Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons; Eligibility for 
T Nonimmigrant Status, see Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sec. 
101(a)(15)(T), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(T). On July 16, 2021, at 86 FR 
37670, DHS published a document reopening the comment period for this 
rulemaking for 30 days, with the deadline to submit comments set at 
August 16, 2021. DHS has received a request from multiple stakeholders 
to extend the deadline for submitting public comments during the 
reopened public comment period. In response to that request, DHS is 
extending the reopened comment period for an additional 30 days, to 
provide a total of 60 days for the public to submit comments. Through 
this document, DHS is extending the comment period for the IFR 
published in the Federal Register at 86 FR 37670 until September 14, 
2021. DHS will consider comments received during the entire public

[[Page 44594]]

comment period, including comments received since July 16, 2021.

Ur M. Jaddou,
Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
[FR Doc. 2021-17510 Filed 8-12-21; 8:45 am]
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