43556 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 

required to be closed pursuant to 5 

U.S.C. 552b(c)(1)(A) & (B) The second 

agenda item, a discussion of potential 

NSTAC study topics, will address areas 

of critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities 

and priorities for Government. 

Government officials will share data 

with NSTAC members on initiatives, 

assessments, and future security 

requirements across public and private 

sector networks. The information will 

include specific vulnerabilities within 

cyberspace that affect the United States’ 

information and communication 

technology infrastructures and proposed 

mitigation strategies. Disclosure of this 

information to the public would provide 

criminals with an incentive to focus on 

these vulnerabilities to increase attacks 

on the Nation’s critical infrastructure 

and communications networks. As 

disclosure of this portion of the meeting 

is likely to significantly frustrate 

implementation of proposed DHS 

actions, it is required to be closed 

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B). 

Helen Jackson, 

Designated Federal Officer for the NSTAC. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19793 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–9P–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Office of the Secretary 

Notice of Availability for Memorandum 

on Rescission of Deferred Action for 

Childhood Arrivals 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, 

Department of Homeland Security. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: In a memorandum dated 

September 5, 2017, the Acting Secretary 

of the Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) rescinded the June 15, 2012 DHS 

memorandum entitled ‘‘Exercising 

Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to 

Individuals Who Came to the United 

States as Children.’’ The September 5, 

2017 memorandum is available on the 

DHS Web site at the following location: 

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2017/09/05/ 

memorandum-rescission-daca. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 

15, 2012, then Secretary of Homeland 

Security Janet Napolitano issued a 

memorandum entitled ‘‘Exercising 

Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to 

Individuals Who Came to the United 

States as Children.’’ The 2012 

memorandum established the policy 

known as Deferred Action for 

Childhood Arrivals (DACA). 

On September 5, 2017, Acting 

Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine 

Duke issued a memorandum entitled 

‘‘Rescission of the June 15, 2012 

Memorandum Entitled ‘Exercising 

Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to 

Individuals Who Came to the United 

States as Children.’ ’’ The September 5, 

2017 memorandum rescinded the June 

15, 2012 memorandum and directed 

DHS personnel to take all appropriate 

actions to execute a wind-down of the 

DACA program consistent with the 

parameters established in the 

memorandum. The September 5, 2017 

memorandum is available on the DHS 

Web site at the following location: 

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2017/09/05/ 

memorandum-rescission-daca. 

Dated: September 11, 2017. 

Elaine C. Duke, 

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19794 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–97–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

[Docket No. DHS–2017–0038] 

Privacy Act of 1974; System of 

Records 

AGENCY: Department of Homeland 

Security, Privacy Office. 

ACTION: Notice of Modified Privacy Act 

System of Records. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of 

Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to 

modify a current DHS system of records 

titled, ‘‘Department of Homeland 

Security/U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration 

and Customs Enforcement, U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection—001 

Alien File, Index, and National File 

Tracking System of Records.’’ This 

system of records contains information 

regarding transactions involving an 

individual as he or she passes through 

the U.S. immigration process, some of 

which may also be covered by separate 

Systems of Records Notices. DHS 

primarily maintains information relating 

to the adjudication of benefits, 

investigation of immigration violations, 

and enforcement actions in Alien Files 

(A-Files). Alien Files became the official 

file for all immigration records created 

or consolidated since April 1, 1944. 

Before A-Files, many individuals had 

more than one file with the agency. To 

streamline immigration recordkeeping, 

legacy Immigration and Naturalization 

Service issued each individual an Alien 

Number, allowing the agency to create 

a single file for each individual 

containing that individual’s official 

immigration record. DHS also uses other 

immigration files to support 

administrative, fiscal, and legal needs. 

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

October 18, 2017. This modified system 

will be effective upon publication. New 

or modified routine uses will become 

effective October 18, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by docket number DHS– 

2017–0038 by one of the following 

methods: 

• Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–343–4010. 

• Mail: Jonathan R. Cantor, Acting 

Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Office, 

Department of Homeland Security, 

Washington, DC 20528–0655. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

general questions, please contact: 

Donald K. Hawkins, (202) 272–8000, 

Privacy Officer, U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services, 20 Massachusetts 

Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20529. 

For privacy questions, please contact: 

Jonathan R. Cantor, (202) 343–1717, 

Acting Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy 

Office, Department of Homeland 

Security, Washington, DC 20528–0655. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As DHS 

moves to conducting more immigration 

actions in an electronic environment 

and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services (USCIS) adjudicates more 

immigration benefits and requests for 

action in its USCIS Electronic 

Immigration System, DHS no longer 

considers the paper A-File as the sole 

repository and official record of 

information related to an individual’s 

official immigration record. An 

individual’s immigration history may be 

in the following materials and formats: 

(1) A paper A-File; (2) an electronic 

record in the Enterprise Document 

Management System or USCIS 

Electronic Immigration System; or (3) a 

combination of paper and electronic 

records and supporting documentation. 

The Department of Homeland 

Security, therefore, is updating the 

‘‘Department of Homeland Security/U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection–001 Alien File, Index, and 

National File Tracking System of 

Records notice to: (1) Redefine which 

records constitute the official record of 

an individual’s immigration history to 

include the following materials and 

formats: (a) The paper A-File, (b) an 

electronic record in the Enterprise 

Document Management System or U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services 

Electronic Immigration System, or (c) a 


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combination of paper and electronic 

records and supporting documentation; 

(2) clarify that data originating from this 

system of records may be stored in a 

classified paper A-File or classified 

electronic network; (3) provide updated 

system locations; (4) update category of 

individuals covered by this System of 

Records Notice, to include individuals 

acting as legal guardians or designated 

representatives in immigration 

proceedings involving an individual 

who is physically or developmentally 

disabled or severely mentally impaired 

(when authorized); Civil Surgeons who 

conduct and certify medical 

examinations for immigration benefits; 

law enforcement officers who certify a 

benefit requestors cooperation in the 

investigation or prosecution of a 

criminal activity; and interpreters; (5) 

expand the categories of records to 

include the following: country of 

nationality; country of residence; the 

USCIS Online Account Number; social 

media handles, aliases, associated 

identifiable information, and search 

results; and the Department of Justice 

(DOJ), Executive Office for Immigration 

Review and Board of Immigration 

Appeals proceedings information; (6) 

add and describe the purpose for the 

USCIS Electronic Immigration System, 

Electronic Document Management 

System, and Microfilm Digitization 

Application System; (7) expand the data 

elements used to retrieve records; (8) 

update the parameters for retention and 

disposal of A–Files; (9) add the 

Microfilm Digitization Application 

System retention schedule; (10) update 

system manager to Associate Director, 

Immigration Records and Identity 

Services; (11) update record source 

categories to include publicly available 

information obtained from the internet, 

public records, public institutions, 

interviewees, commercial data 

providers, and information obtained and 

disclosed pursuant to information 

sharing agreements; and (12) update 

routine use E to comply with new 

policy contained in Office of 

Management and Budget Circular A– 

108. Additionally, this notice includes 

non-substantive changes to simplify the 

formatting and text of the previously 

published notice. The exemptions for 

the existing system of records notice 

will continue to be applicable for this 

updated system of records notice. This 

modified system of records notice will 

be included in the DHS’s inventory of 

record systems. 

I. Background 

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 

1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the DHS U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services 

(USCIS), U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection (CBP) proposes to 

update and reissue a current DHS 

system of records titled, ‘‘DHS/USCIS– 

ICE–CBP–001 Alien File, Index, and 

National File Tracking System of 

Records.’’ 

DHS implements U.S. immigration 

law and policy through USCIS’ 

processing and adjudication of 

applications and petitions submitted for 

citizenship, asylum, and other 

immigration benefits. USCIS also 

supports national security by preventing 

individuals from fraudulently obtaining 

immigration benefits and by denying 

applications from individuals who pose 

national security or public safety 

threats. DHS implements U.S. 

immigration policy and law through 

ICE’s law enforcement activities and 

CBP’s inspection and border security 

processes. 

Legacy immigration and 

naturalization agencies previously 

collected and maintained information 

concerning all immigration and 

inspection interactions. Before Alien 

Files (A-Files), many individuals had 

more than one file with the agency 

requiring legacy personnel to search 

multiple records systems and indexes 

for all records pertaining to one 

individual. The former Immigration and 

Naturalization Services (INS) 

introduced A-Files and issued each 

individual an Alien Number (ANumber) allowing INS to create one file 

for each individual containing the entire 

agency’s records for the subject. Legacy 

immigration case file records that were 

not consolidated into the A-File are still 

maintained since these records hold 

historical value and are shared with 

government agencies and members of 

the public who request this information 

for mission-related and genealogy 

purposes. 

The Alien File, Index, and National 

File Tracking System of Records is the 

official record system that contains 

information regarding the transactions 

of an individual as he or she passes 

through the U.S. immigration process. 

Currently, A-Files may be maintained in 

two formats: Paper A-Files or electronic 

A-Files within the Enterprise Document 

Management System (EDMS). The 

official record will now take three 

possible forms: (1) Records contained 

within the paper A-File; (2) records 

contained within the electronic record 

from EDMS or USCIS Electronic 

Immigration System (USCIS ELIS); or (3) 

a combination of paper and electronic 

records and supporting documentation. 

The A-File serves as the official record 

of an individual’s immigration history. 

It is used in immigration proceedings 

before U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) 

immigration judges and the Board of 

Immigration Appeals (BIA), and is the 

official record used in Federal court 

litigation and other official agency 

business transactions. USCIS is the 

custodian of the A-File and the 

documents contained within it that are 

derived from various systems belonging 

to USCIS, ICE, and CBP. All three 

components create, contribute 

information to, and use A-Files, hence 

this joint System of Records Notice 

(SORN). 

A notice detailing this system of 

records was last published in the 

Federal Register on November 21, 2013, 

as the DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP001 Alien 

File, Index, and National File Tracking 

System of Records, 78 FR 69864. DHS 

is updating the DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP– 

001 Alien File, Index, and National File 

Tracking System of Records to include 

the following substantive changes: (1) 

Redefine which records constitute the 

official record of an individual’s 

immigration history to include the 

following materials and formats: (a) The 

paper A-File, (b) the electronic A-File, 

or (c) a combination of paper and 

electronic records and supporting 

documentation; (2) clarify that data 

originating from this system of records 

may be stored in a classified paper AFile or classified electronic network; (3) 

provide updated system locations; (4) 

update category of individuals covered 

by this SORN to include individual 

acting as legal guardians or designated 

representatives in immigration 

proceedings involving individuals who 

are physically or developmentally 

disabled or severely mentally impaired 

(when authorized); Civil Surgeons who 

conduct and certify medical 

examinations for immigration benefits; 

and law enforcement officers who 

certify a benefit requestors cooperation 

in the investigation or prosecution of a 

criminal activity; and interpreters; (5) 

expand the categories of records to 

include country of nationality; country 

of residence; the USCIS Online Account 

Number; social media handles, aliases, 

associated identifiable information, and 

search results; and information 

regarding the DOJ Executive Office for 

Immigration Review (EOIR) and BIA 

proceedings; (6) add and describe the 

purpose of the USCIS ELIS, EDMS, and 

Microfilm Digitization Application 

System (MiDAS); (7) expand data 

elements used to retrieve records; (8) 

update the parameters for retention and 

disposal of paper A-Files and electronic 

A-Files; (9) include the MiDAS 

retention schedule; (10) change system 


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manager to Associate Director, 

Immigration Records and Identity 

Services (IRIS); (11) update record 

source categories to include publicly 

available information obtained from the 

internet, public records, public 

institutions, interviews, commercial 

data providers, and information shared 

obtained through information sharing 

agreements; and (12) update routine use 

E to comply with Office of Management 

and Budget Circular A–108. 

Consistent with DHS’s information 

sharing mission, information stored in 

the DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP–001 Alien 

File, Index, and National File Tracking 

System of Records may be shared with 

other DHS components that have a need 

to know the information to carry out 

their national security, law enforcement, 

immigration, intelligence, or other 

homeland security functions. In 

addition, information contained within 

the DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP–001 Alien 

File, Index, and National File Tracking 

System of Records may be shared with 

appropriate Federal, State, local, tribal, 

territorial, foreign, or international 

government agencies consistent with the 

routine uses set forth in this system of 

records notice. The exemptions for the 

existing system of records notice will 

continue to be applicable for this system 

of records notice. Additionally, this 

modified system will be included in 

DHS’s inventory of record systems. 

II. Privacy Act 

The Privacy Act embodies fair 

information practice principles in a 

statutory framework governing the 

means by which Federal Government 

agencies collect, maintain, use, and 

disseminate individuals’ records. The 

Privacy Act applies to information that 

is maintained in a ‘‘system of records.’’ 

A ‘‘system of records’’ is a group of any 

records under the control of an agency 

from which information is retrieved by 

the name of an individual or by some 

identifying number, symbol, or other 

identifying particular assigned to the 

individual. In the Privacy Act, an 

individual is defined to encompass U.S. 

citizens and lawful permanent 

residents. Additionally, and similarly, 

the Judicial Redress Act (JRA) provides 

a statutory right to covered persons to 

make requests for access and 

amendment to covered records, as 

defined by the JRA, along with judicial 

review for denials of such requests. In 

addition, the JRA prohibits disclosures 

of covered records, except as otherwise 

permitted by the Privacy Act. 

Below is the description of the DHS/ 

USCIS/ICE/CBP–001 Alien File, Index, 

and National File Tracking System of 

Records. In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 

552a(r), DHS has provided a report of 

this system of records to the Office of 

Management and Budget and to 

Congress. 

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER: 

Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services (USCIS), U.S. Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)– 

001 Alien File, Index, and National File 

Tracking System of Records. 

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: 

Unclassified, sensitive, for official use 

only, and classified. The data may be 

retained in classified paper A-File or on 

classified networks. The nature and 

character of the underlying 

classification of these records will not 

change unless it is combined with 

classified information. 

SYSTEM LOCATION: 

Records are maintained in (1) paper 

A-Files; (2) electronic A-Files in EDMS 

and USCIS ELIS; (3) Central Index 

System (CIS); (4) MiDAS; and (5) 

National File Tracking System (NFTS). 

Other applications, as Enterprise 

Citizenship and Immigrations Services 

Centralized Operational Repository 

(eCISCOR) and the Person Centric 

Query Service (PCQS), may retrieve 

information from the aforementioned 

applications. 

Paper A-Files: Paper A-Files are 

primarily located at the National 

Records Center in Lee’s Summit, 

Missouri and component field offices. 

Paper A-Files may also be located at 

Headquarters, Regional, District, and 

other USCIS File Control Offices (FCO) 

throughout the United States and 

foreign countries as detailed on the 

agency’s Web site, http://www.uscis.gov. 

A-Files may also be located at ICE and 

CBP offices and facilities. 

EDMS: EDMS contains electronic AFiles. 

USCIS ELIS: USCIS ELIS contains 

electronic A-Files. USCIS ELIS is an 

online, electronic account and case 

management system that stores 

information submitted or integrated into 

the system for the processing of specific 

applications, petitions, or requests. 

Submissions may originate in an 

electronic format or be converted to an 

electronic format from paper and 

include forms, supporting 

documentation associated with each 

submission notices of agency action 

(e.g., appointment notices, requests for 

evidence or originals, notices of intent 

to deny, or withdrawal notice and other 

final agency decisions) on a specific 

application, petition, or request, 

whether filed directly online or received 

by USCIS in a paper format and 

subsequently scanned for integration 

into the USCIS ELIS. USCIS ELIS also 

stores the USCIS Online Account 

Number and biographic information 

about the individual filing a request for 

an immigration decision or agency 

action that can be used to retrieve 

information about other immigration 

requests that may have been filed by the 

individual. 

CIS: CIS serves as a DHS-wide index 

of key information for A-Files (whether 

paper or electronic). CIS contains 

information on individuals who interact 

with DHS. The system contains 

biographic information on those 

individuals which can be used to 

retrieve additional information from 

other systems. However, A-Files are not 

contained in CIS. 

MiDAS: MiDAS contains digitized 

copies of immigration-related records 

that were created between 1893 and 

1975. 

NFTS: NFTS has the location 

information for all A-File records 

(whether paper or electronic). NFTS 

allows DHS to track and log the 

movement of paper A-Files in a 

centralized database, and provide timely 

and accurate access to the immigration 

case file location. This system facilitates 

USCIS’ ability to efficiently manage and 

streamline access to immigration files 

under its control. 

The databases maintaining the above 

information are located within the DHS 

data center in the Washington, DC 

metropolitan area as well as throughout 

the country. Access to these electronic 

systems is possible at USCIS sites at 

Headquarters and in the field offices 

throughout the United States, at 

appropriate facilities under the 

jurisdiction of DHS, and other locations 

at which officers of DHS component 

agencies may be posted or operate to 

facilitate DHS’s homeland security 

mission. 

SYSTEM MANAGER(S): 

Associate Director, Immigration 

Records and Identity Services, U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

Department of Homeland Security, 20 

Massachusetts Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20529. 

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM: 

Authority for maintaining this system 

is in Sections 103 and 290 of the 

Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 

as amended (8 U.S.C. 1103 and 1360), 

and the regulations issued pursuant 

thereto; and Section 451 of the 

Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 

107–296), codified at 6 U.S.C. 271. 


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PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM: 

The purpose of this system of records 

is to facilitate administration of benefits 

and enforcement of provisions under 

the INA and related immigration 

statutes. A-Files (whether paper or 

electronic), immigration case files, CIS, 

MiDAS, and NFTS are used primarily 

by DHS employees for immigration 

processing and adjudication, protection 

of national security, and administering 

and enforcing immigration and 

nationality laws and related regulations 

and policy. These records also assist 

DHS with detecting violations of 

immigration and nationality laws; 

supporting the referral of such 

violations for prosecution or other 

appropriate enforcement action; 

supporting law enforcement efforts and 

inspection processes at the U.S. borders; 

as well as to carry out DHS enforcement, 

immigration, intelligence, and or other 

homeland security functions. 

The purpose of the A-File is to 

document and maintain the official 

record of an individual’s immigration 

applications, petitions, and requests, as 

well as enforcement transactions as he 

or she passes through the U.S. 

immigration process. The official 

records in the A-Files consist of paper 

and electronic records of the 

individual’s transactions through the 

immigration process including records 

of immigration benefit requests and 

requests for agency action filed with 

USCIS, but does not include all case 

processing and decisional data. 

The purpose of the EDMS is to store 

the A-File electronically and to share 

the A-File more efficiently within DHS 

and with external agencies. 

The purpose of USCIS ELIS is to 

maintain the A-File of certain paperand electronically-filed benefit request 

forms with USCIS, in addition its 

electronic case processing, adjudication, 

and management functions. The 

associated information and data for 

cases maintained in USCIS ELIS for case 

processing, adjudication, and 

management functions are covered 

under other USCIS SORNs. 

The purpose of CIS is to maintain a 

repository of electronic data that 

summarizes the history of an immigrant 

or non-immigrant in the adjudication 

process. In addition, CIS maintains 

information about individuals of 

interest to the U.S. Government for 

investigative purposes. Information 

contained within CIS is used for 

immigration benefit determination and 

for immigration law enforcement 

operations by USCIS, ICE, and CBP. 

The purpose of MiDAS is to maintain 

a repository of historical immigration 

case files for use by government 

agencies for mission-related purposes 

such as assisting in the determination to 

grant or deny a government benefit or to 

conduct law enforcement or other 

investigations. Furthermore, USCIS 

makes records of deceased subjects 

available to members of the public who 

request them for genealogy and other 

historical research purposes. 

The purpose of NFTS is to account for 

the specific location of immigration 

files, and to track the request and 

transfer of immigration files. 

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE

SYSTEM: 

• Lawful permanent residents; 

• Naturalized U.S. citizens; 

• Individuals when petitioning for 

benefits under the INA, as amended, on 

behalf of another individual; 

• Individuals acting as legal 

guardians or designated representatives 

in immigration proceedings involving 

an individual who has a physical or 

developmental disability or mental 

impairment (as authorized under the 

INA); 

• Individuals who receive benefits 

under the INA; 

• Individuals who are subject to the 

enforcement provisions of the INA; 

• Individuals who are subject to the 

INA and: 

o Are under investigation by DHS for 

possible national security threats or 

threats to the public safety, 

o were investigated by DHS in the 

past, 

Æ are suspected of violating 

immigration-related criminal or 

immigration-related civil provisions of 

treaties, statutes, regulations, Executive 

Orders, and Presidential Proclamations 

administered by DHS, or 

Æ are witnesses and informants 

having knowledge of such violations; 

• Relatives and associates of any of 

the individuals listed above who are 

subject to the INA; 

• Individuals who have renounced 

their U.S. citizenship; 

• Civil Surgeons who are required to 

conduct and certify medical 

examinations for immigration benefits; 

and law enforcement officers who 

certify a benefit requestor’s cooperation 

in the investigation or prosecution of a 

criminal activity; 

• Preparers assisting an individual 

seeking an immigration benefit or 

agency action under the INA; 

• Interpreters assisting an individual 

seeking an immigration benefit or 

agency action under the INA; 

• Attorneys or representatives 

recognized by USCIS or accredited by 

the BIA; or 

• Law enforcement officers who 

certify a benefit requestor’s cooperation 

in the investigation or prosecution of a 

criminal activity. 

Note: Individuals may fall within one or 

more of these categories. 

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM: 

A. A-Files contain official record 

material about each individual for 

whom DHS has created a record under 

the INA such as: Naturalization 

certificates; various documents and 

attachments (e.g., birth and marriage 

certificates); applications, petitions, and 

requests for immigration determinations 

or agency action under the immigration 

and nationality laws; reports of arrests 

and investigations; statements; other 

reports; records of proceedings before or 

filings made with the U.S. immigration 

courts and any administrative or federal 

district court or court of appeal; 

correspondence; and memoranda. 

Specific data elements may include: 

• A-Numbers; 

• Receipt file number(s); 

• Full name and any aliases used; 

• Physical and mailing addresses (to 

include U.S. and foreign); 

• Phone numbers and email 

addresses; 

• Social Security number (SSN); 

• Date of birth; 

• Place of birth (city, state, and 

country); 

• Country of citizenship; 

• Country of nationality; 

• Country of residence; 

• Gender; 

• Physical characteristics (height, 

weight, race, eye and hair color, 

photographs, fingerprints); 

• Government-issued identification 

information (i.e., passport, driver’s 

license): 

Æ Document type; 

Æ Issuing organization; 

Æ Document number; and 

Æ Expiration date; 

• Military membership and/or status; 

• Arrival/Departure information 

(record number, expiration date, class of 

admission, etc.); 

• Federal Bureau of Investigation 

(FBI) Identification Number/Universal 

Control Number; 

• Fingerprint Identification Number; 

• Immigration enforcement history, 

including, but not limited to, arrests and 

charges, immigration proceedings and 

appeals, and dispositions including 

removals or voluntary departures; 

• Immigration status; 

• Family history; 

• Travel history; 

• Education history; 

• Employment history; 

• Criminal history; 

• Professional accreditation 

information; 


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• Medical information; 

• Information regarding the status of 

Department of Justice (DOJ), Executive 

Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) 

and (BIA) proceedings, if applicable; 

• Specific benefit eligibility 

information as required by the benefit 

being sought; 

• Social media handles and aliases, 

associated identifiable information, and 

search results; and 

• Cassette/audio tapes, audio-visual/ 

videotapes, CDs, DVDs, or transcripts of 

immigration interviews. 

B. CIS contains information on those 

individuals who during their 

interactions with DHS have been 

assigned an A-Number. The system 

contains biographic information on 

those individuals, allowing DHS 

employees to quickly review the 

individual’s immigration status. The 

information in the system can then be 

used to retrieve additional information 

on the individual from other systems. 

The information in the system can be 

used to request the paper A-File from 

the USCIS FCO that has custody of the 

A-File. Specific data elements may 

include: 

• A-Number(s); 

• Full name and any aliases used; 

• SSN; 

• Date of birth; 

• Place of birth (city, state, and 

country); 

• Country of citizenship; 

• Country of nationality; 

• Gender; 

• Government issued identification 

information (i.e., passport, driver’s 

license): 

• Document type; 

• Issuing organization; 

• Document number; 

• Expiration date; 

• Arrival/Departure information 

(record number, expiration date, class of 

admission, etc.); 

• Immigration status; 

• Father and Mother’s first name; 

• FBI Identification/Identification 

Universal Control Number; 

• Fingerprint Identification Number; 

• Immigration enforcement history, 

including arrests and charges, 

immigration proceedings and appeals, 

and dispositions including removals or 

voluntary departures; and 

• NFTS file location and status 

information. 

C. EDMS contains official record 

material about each individual for 

whom DHS has created a record 

pursuant to the INA and the same 

information as contained in the as a 

paper A-File except for material that 

cannot be scanned from the paper AFile (e.g., cassette/audio tapes, audiovisual/video tapes, CDs, or DVDs). 

D. USCIS ELIS contains official record 

information and material used to 

determine an outcome on an 

immigration application, petition, or 

request or request agency action, such as 

supporting documentation, and notices 

of agency action on the specific 

immigration request. USCIS ELIS also 

stores the USCIS Online Account 

Number biographic information about 

the individual seeking an immigration 

benefit or requesting agency action that 

can be used to retrieve information 

about other requests filed by the 

individual, and the electronic copy of 

the naturalization or certificate of 

citizenship. Specific data elements may 

include, but are not limited to: 

• Full Name; 

• Aliases; 

• Physical and mailing addresses; 

• A-Number; 

• USCIS Online Account Number; 

• SSN; 

• Date of birth and/or death; 

• Country of citizenship; 

• Country of nationality; 

• Country of residence; 

• Place of birth; 

• Gender; 

• Marital status; 

• Military membership or status; 

• Phone and fax numbers (including 

mobile phone numbers); 

• Email address; 

• Immigration status; 

• Biometric information (e.g., 

fingerprints, photographs, signature) 

and other information used to conduct 

background and security checks; 

• Physical description (e.g., height, 

weight, eye color, hair color, race, 

ethnicity, identifying marks like tattoos 

or birthmarks); 

• Government issued identification 

information (i.e., passport, driver’s 

license): 

Æ Document type; 

Æ Issuing organization; 

Æ Document number; and 

Æ Expiration date; 

• Immigration benefit type and/or 

agency action requested (e.g., deferred 

action); 

• Supporting documentation as 

necessary (e.g. birth, marriage, and 

divorce certificates; licenses; academic 

diplomas and transcripts; appeals, 

requests for rehearing, and motions to 

reopen or reconsideration; explanatory 

statements; and unsolicited information 

submitted voluntarily by the individual 

seeking an immigration benefit or 

requesting agency action or family 

members in support of the request); 

• Notices and communications, 

including: 

Æ Requests for evidence; 

Æ Notices of intent to deny, fine, or 

terminate; and 

Æ Proofs of benefit (e.g., Employment 

Authorization Card, Permanent Resident 

Card); 

• Signature; 

• Fee payment information (e.g., 

credit card number, Pay.gov Payment 

Tracking Number); 

• Audio-visual recordings, including 

interviews and naturalization 

ceremonies; 

• Travel history; 

• Education history; 

• Work history; 

• Records regarding organization 

membership or affiliation; 

• Family relationships (e.g., parent, 

spouse, sibling, child, other 

dependents); 

• Information regarding the status of 

DOJ, EOIR and BIA proceedings, if 

applicable; 

• Case processing information such as 

the date an immigration request was 

filed or received by USCIS; status of 

such a request; location of record; other 

control number when applicable; and 

fee receipt data; 

• Representative information, 

including: 

Æ Name; 

Æ Law Firm/recognized organization; 

Æ Physical and mailing addresses; 

Æ Phone and fax numbers; 

Æ Email address; 

Æ Attorney Bar Card Number or 

equivalent; 

Æ Bar membership; 

Æ BIA representative accreditation 

authorization and expiration dates; 

Æ Law practice restriction(s) 

explanation; and 

Æ Signature. 

• Preparer and Interpreter 

information, including: 

Æ Full Name; 

Æ Business or Organization name; 

Æ Physical and mailing addresses; 

Æ Phone and fax numbers; 

Æ Email address; and 

Æ Signature. 

E. NFTS contains the location of the 

A-File whether paper or electronic. 

Specific data elements include: 

• A-Number; 

• Receipt File Number; 

• Primary immigration file tracking 

number (e.g., A-Number, Receipt File 

Number, Certificate Number (CNumber), and Temporary Number (TNumber)); 

• Location of the paper A-File and 

Receipt File within the USCIS FCO, as 

well as the history of who has 

maintained the paper A-File, including 

the component, section, and employee; 

and 

• Name of the USCIS FCO that has 

jurisdiction over a case maintained in 

USCIS ELIS and any transfer of 

jurisdiction to another USCIS office. 


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F. MiDAS is an online interactive 

application system that provides an 

automated means for searching an index 

to legacy immigrant records opened or 

indexed prior to 1975. The MiDAS 

Search Engine includes the Flexoline 

Index, documenting the issuance of A– 

Numbers to individuals between August 

1940 and 1948, as well as a card index 

to physical A-Files opened between 

April 1, 1944 and 1975. MiDAS index 

data may be used to create or update a 

CIS record of an A-Number issued or AFile opened prior to 1975. Specific AFile index data elements may include, 

but are not limited to: 

• A-Number; 

• C-Number; 

• Full name; 

• Date of birth; and 

• Place of birth (city, state, and 

country). 

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES: 

Basic information contained in DHS 

records is supplied by individuals on 

Department of State (DOS) and DHS 

applications and forms. Other 

information comes from publicly 

available information obtained from the 

Internet, public records, public 

institutions, interviewees, commercial 

data aggregators, inquiries or complaints 

from members of the general public and 

members of Congress, referrals of 

inquiries or complaints directed to the 

President or Secretary of Homeland 

Security, information shared through 

information sharing agreements, reports 

of investigations, sworn statements, 

correspondence, official reports, 

memoranda, and written referrals from 

other entities, including federal, state, 

and local governments, various courts 

and regulatory agencies, foreign 

government agencies, and international 

organizations. 

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE

SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND

PURPOSES OF SUCH USES: 

Information in this system of records 

contains information relating to persons 

who have pending or approved benefit 

requests for special protected classes 

and should not be disclosed pursuant to 

a routine use unless disclosure is 

otherwise permissible under the 

confidentiality statutes, regulations, or 

policies applicable to that information. 

For example, information relating to 

persons who have pending or approved 

benefit requests for protection under the 

Violence Against Women Act, Seasonal 

Agricultural Worker or Legalization 

claims, the Temporary Protected Status 

of an individual, and information 

relating to nonimmigrant visas protected 

under special confidentiality provisions 

should not be disclosed pursuant to a 

routine use unless disclosure is 

otherwise permissible under the 

confidentiality statutes, regulations, or 

policies applicable to that information. 

These confidentiality provisions do not 

prevent DHS from disclosing 

information to the DOJ and Offices of 

the United States Attorney as part of an 

ongoing criminal or civil investigation. 

In addition to those disclosures 

generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 

552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a 

portion of the records or information 

contained in this system may be 

disclosed outside DHS as a routine use 

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as 

follows: 

A. To DOJ, including Offices of the 

U.S. Attorneys, or other federal agency 

conducting litigation or in proceedings 

before any court, adjudicative, or 

administrative body, when it is relevant 

or necessary to the litigation and one of 

the following is a party to the litigation 

or has an interest in such litigation: 

1. DHS or any component thereof; 

2. Any employee or former employee 

of DHS in his/her official capacity; 

3. Any employee or former employee 

of DHS in his/her individual capacity 

when DOJ or DHS has agreed to 

represent the employee; or 

4. The United States or any agency 

thereof. 

B. To a congressional office from the 

record of an individual in response to 

an inquiry from that congressional office 

made at the request of the individual to 

whom the record pertains. 

C. To the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA) or 

General Services Administration 

pursuant to records management 

inspections being conducted under the 

authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906. 

D. To an agency or organization for 

the purpose of performing audit or 

oversight operations as authorized by 

law, but only such information as is 

necessary and relevant to such audit or 

oversight function. 

E. To appropriate agencies, entities, 

and persons when: 

1. DHS determines that information 

from this system of records is 

reasonably necessary and otherwise 

compatible with the purpose of 

collection to assist another federal 

recipient agency or entity in (1) 

responding to a suspected or confirmed 

breach or (2) preventing, minimizing, or 

remedying the risk of harm to 

individuals, the recipient agency or 

entity (including its information 

systems, programs, and operations), the 

Federal Government, or national 

security, resulting from a suspected or 

confirmed breach; or 

2. DHS suspects or has confirmed that 

there has been a breach of this system 

of records; and (a) DHS has determined 

that as a result of the suspected or 

confirmed breach, there is a risk of harm 

to individuals, harm to DHS (including 

its information systems, programs, and 

operations), the Federal Government, or 

national security; and (b) the disclosure 

made to such agencies, entities, and 

persons is reasonably necessary to assist 

in connection with DHS’s efforts to 

respond to the suspected or confirmed 

breach or to prevent, minimize, or 

remedy such harm. 

F. To contractors and their agents, 

grantees, experts, consultants, and 

others performing or working on a 

contract, service, grant, cooperative 

agreement, or other assignment for DHS, 

when necessary to accomplish an 

agency function related to this system of 

records. Individuals provided 

information under this routine use are 

subject to the same Privacy Act 

requirements and limitations on 

disclosure as are applicable to DHS 

officers and employees. 

G. To an appropriate Federal, State, 

tribal, local, international, or foreign law 

enforcement agency or other appropriate 

authority charged with investigating or 

prosecuting a violation or enforcing or 

implementing a law, rule, regulation, or 

order, when a record, either on its face 

or in conjunction with other 

information, indicates a violation or 

potential violation of law, which 

includes criminal, civil, or regulatory 

violations and such disclosure is proper 

and consistent with the official duties of 

the person making the disclosure. 

H. To appropriate Federal, State, 

tribal, local, or foreign governmental 

agencies or multilateral governmental 

organizations responsible for 

investigating or prosecuting the 

violations of, or for enforcing or 

implementing, a statute, rule, 

regulation, order, or license, when DHS 

believes the information would assist in 

enforcing applicable civil or criminal 

laws. 

I. To third parties during the course 

of a law enforcement investigation to 

the extent necessary to obtain 

information pertinent to the 

investigation. 

J. To an organization or person in 

either the public or private sector, either 

foreign or domestic, when there is a 

reason to believe that the recipient is or 

could become the target of a particular 

terrorist activity or conspiracy, or when 

the information is relevant to the 

protection of life, property, or other vital 

interests of a person. 

K. To clerks and judges of courts 

exercising naturalization jurisdiction for 


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43562 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 

the purpose of granting naturalization 

and administering naturalization oaths, 

and to enable such courts to determine 

eligibility for naturalization or grounds 

for revocation of naturalization. 

L. To courts, magistrates, 

administrative tribunals, opposing 

counsel, parties, and witnesses, in the 

course of immigration, civil, or criminal 

proceedings before a court or 

adjudicative body when it is necessary 

or relevant to the litigation or 

proceeding and the following is a party 

to the proceeding or has an interest in 

the proceeding: 

1. DHS or any component thereof; or 

2. Any employee of DHS in his or her 

official capacity; or 

3. Any employee of DHS in his or her 

individual capacity when the DOJ or 

DHS has agreed to represent the 

employee; or 

4. The United States or any agency 

thereof. 

M. To an attorney or representative 

(as defined in 8 CFR 1.2) who is acting 

on behalf of an individual covered by 

this system of records in connection 

with any proceeding before USCIS, ICE, 

or CBP or the DOJ EOIR, as required by 

law or as deemed necessary in the 

discretion of the Department. 

N. To DOJ (including Offices of the 

United States Attorneys) or other federal 

agency conducting litigation or in 

proceedings before any court, 

adjudicative, or administrative body, 

when necessary to assist in the 

development of such agency’s legal and/ 

or policy position. 

O. To DOS in the processing of 

petitions or applications for benefits 

under the INA, and all other 

immigration and nationality laws 

including treaties and reciprocal 

agreements; or when DOS requires 

information to consider and/or provide 

an informed response to a request for 

information from a foreign, 

international, or intergovernmental 

agency, authority, or organization about 

an alien or an enforcement operation 

with transnational implications. 

P. To appropriate Federal, State, local, 

tribal, territorial, or foreign 

governments, as well as to other 

individuals and organizations during 

the course of an investigation by DHS or 

the processing of a matter under DHS’s 

jurisdiction, or during a proceeding 

within the purview of the immigration 

and nationality laws, when DHS deems 

that such disclosure is necessary to 

carry out its functions and statutory 

mandates. 

Q. To an appropriate Federal, State, 

local, tribal, territorial, or foreign 

government agency or organization, or 

international organization, lawfully 

engaged in collecting law enforcement 

intelligence, whether civil or criminal, 

or charged with investigating, 

prosecuting, enforcing, or implementing 

civil or criminal laws, related rules, 

regulations, or orders, to enable these 

entities to carry out their law 

enforcement responsibilities, including 

the collection of law enforcement 

intelligence and the disclosure is 

appropriate to the proper performance 

of the official duties of the person 

receiving the information. 

R. To an appropriate Federal, State, 

local, tribal, territorial, foreign, or 

international agency, if the information 

is relevant to a requesting agency’s 

decision concerning the hiring or 

retention of an individual, or issuance 

of a security clearance, license, contract, 

grant, or other benefit, or if the 

information is relevant to a DHS 

decision concerning the hiring or 

retention of an employee, the issuance 

of a security clearance, the reporting of 

an investigation of an employee, the 

letting of a contract, or the issuance of 

a license, grant, or other benefit. 

S. To an appropriate Federal, State, 

local, tribal, territorial, foreign, or 

international agency, if DHS determines: 

(1) The information is relevant and 

necessary to that agency’s decision 

concerning the hiring or retention of an 

individual, or issuance of a security 

clearance, license, contract, grant, or 

other benefit; and (2) failure to disclose 

the information is likely to create a 

substantial risk to government facilities, 

equipment, or personnel; sensitive 

information; critical infrastructure; or 

public safety. 

T. To appropriate Federal, State, local, 

tribal, or foreign governmental agencies 

or multilateral governmental 

organizations for the purpose of 

protecting the vital interests of a data 

subject or other persons, including to 

assist such agencies or organizations in 

preventing exposure to, or transmission 

of a communicable or quarantinable 

disease or to combat other significant 

public health threats; appropriate notice 

will be provided of any identified health 

threat or risk. 

U. To an individual’s current 

employer to the extent necessary to 

determine employment eligibility or to 

a prospective employer or government 

agency to verify whether an individual 

is eligible for a government-issued 

credential that is a condition of 

employment. 

V. To a former employee of DHS, in 

accordance with applicable regulations, 

for purposes of: Responding to an 

official inquiry by a federal, state, or 

local government entity or professional 

licensing authority; or facilitating 

communications with a former 

employee that may be necessary for 

personnel-related or other official 

purposes when DHS requires 

information or consultation assistance 

from the former employee regarding a 

matter within that person’s former area 

of responsibility. 

W. To the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) in connection with the 

review of private relief legislation as set 

forth in OMB Circular No. A–19 at any 

stage of the legislative coordination and 

clearance process as set forth in the 

Circular. 

X. To the U.S. Senate Committee on 

the Judiciary or the U.S. House of 

Representatives Committee on the 

Judiciary when necessary to inform 

members of Congress about an alien 

who is being considered for private 

immigration relief. 

Y. To a Federal, State, tribal, or local 

government agency and/or to domestic 

courts to assist such agencies in 

collecting the repayment of loans, or 

fraudulently or erroneously secured 

benefits, grants, or other debts owed to 

them or to the U.S. Government, or to 

obtain information that may assist DHS 

in collecting debts owed to the U.S. 

Government. 

Z. To an individual or entity seeking 

to post or arrange, or who has already 

posted or arranged, an immigration 

bond for an alien, to aid the individual 

or entity in (1) identifying the location 

of the alien; (2) posting the bond; (3) 

obtaining payments related to the bond; 

or (4) conducting other administrative 

or financial management activities 

related to the bond. 

AA. To a coroner for purposes of 

affirmatively identifying a deceased 

individual (whether or not such 

individual is deceased as a result of a 

crime). 

BB. Consistent with the requirements 

of the INA, to the Department of Health 

and Human Services (HHS), the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC), or to any state or local health 

authorities, to: 

1. Provide proper medical oversight of 

DHS-designated Civil Surgeons who 

perform medical examinations of both 

arriving aliens and of those requesting 

status as lawful permanent residents; 

and 

2. Ensure that all health issues 

potentially affecting public health and 

safety in the United States are being or 

have been, adequately addressed. 

CC. To a Federal, State, local, tribal, 

or territorial government agency seeking 

to verify or ascertain the citizenship or 

immigration status of any individual 

within the jurisdiction of the agency for 

any purpose authorized by law. 


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DD. To the Social Security 

Administration (SSA) for the purpose of 

issuing a SSN and card to an alien who 

has made a request for a SSN as part of 

the immigration process and in 

accordance with any related agreements 

in effect between the SSA, DHS, and 

DOS entered into pursuant to 20 CFR 

422.103(b)(3), 422.103(c)(3), and 

422.106(a), or other relevant laws and 

regulations. 

EE. To Federal and foreign 

government intelligence or 

counterterrorism agencies or 

components when DHS becomes aware 

of an indication of a threat or potential 

threat to national or international 

security, or when such use is to conduct 

national intelligence and security 

investigations or assist in anti-terrorism 

efforts. 

FF. To third parties to facilitate 

placement or release of an individual 

(e.g., at a group home, homeless shelter) 

who has been or is about to be released 

from DHS custody, but only such 

information that is relevant and 

necessary to arrange housing or 

continuing medical care for the 

individual. 

GG. To an appropriate domestic 

government agency or other appropriate 

authority for the purpose of providing 

information about an individual who 

has been or is about to be released from 

DHS custody who, due to a condition 

such as mental illness, may pose a 

health or safety risk to himself/herself or 

to the community. DHS will only 

disclose information about the 

individual that is relevant to the health 

or safety risk they may pose and/or the 

means to mitigate that risk (e.g., the 

individual’s need to remain on certain 

medication for a serious mental health 

condition). 

HH. To foreign governments for the 

purpose of coordinating and conducting 

the removal of individuals to other 

nations under the INA; and to 

international, foreign, and 

intergovernmental agencies, authorities, 

and organizations in accordance with 

law and formal or informal international 

arrangements. 

II. To a Federal, State, local, 

territorial, tribal, international, or 

foreign criminal, civil, or regulatory law 

enforcement authority when the 

information is necessary for 

collaboration, coordination, and deconfliction of investigative matters, 

prosecutions, and/or other law 

enforcement actions to avoid 

duplicative or disruptive efforts and to 

ensure the safety of law enforcement 

officers who may be working on related 

law enforcement matters. 

JJ. To the DOJ Federal Bureau of 

Prisons and other Federal, State, local, 

territorial, tribal, and foreign law 

enforcement or custodial agencies for 

the purpose of placing an immigration 

detainer on an individual in that 

agency’s custody, or to facilitate the 

transfer of custody of an individual from 

DHS to the other agency. This will 

include the transfer of information 

about unaccompanied minor children to 

HHS to facilitate the custodial transfer 

of such children from DHS to HHS. 

KK. To Federal, State, local, tribal, 

territorial, or foreign governmental or 

quasi-governmental agencies or courts 

to confirm the location, custodial status, 

removal, or voluntary departure of an 

alien from the United States, in order to 

facilitate the recipients’ exercise of 

responsibilities pertaining to the 

custody, care, or legal rights (including 

issuance of a U.S. passport) of the 

removed individual’s minor children, or 

the adjudication or collection of child 

support payments or other debts owed 

by the removed individual. 

LL. To a Federal, State, tribal, 

territorial, local, international, or foreign 

government agency or multilateral 

governmental organization for the 

purpose of consulting with that agency 

or entity: (1) To assist in making a 

determination regarding redress for an 

individual in connection with the 

operations of a DHS component or 

program; (2) for the purpose of verifying 

the identity of an individual seeking 

redress in connection with the 

operations of a DHS component or 

program; or (3) for the purpose of 

verifying the accuracy of information 

submitted by an individual who has 

requested such redress on behalf of 

another individual. 

MM. To family members, guardians, 

committees, friends, or other agents 

identified by law or regulation to 

receive notification, decisions, and 

other papers as provided in 8 CFR 103.8 

from DHS or EOIR following verification 

of a familial or agency relationship with 

an alien when DHS is aware of indicia 

of incompetency or when an 

immigration judge determines an alien 

is mentally incompetent. 

NN. To the news media and the 

public, with the approval of the Chief 

Privacy Officer in consultation with 

counsel, when there exists a legitimate 

public interest in the disclosure of the 

information or when disclosure is 

necessary to preserve confidence in the 

integrity of DHS or is necessary to 

demonstrate the accountability of DHS’s 

officers, employees, or individuals 

covered by the system, except to the 

extent the Chief Privacy Officer 

determines that release of the specific 

information in the context of a 

particular case would constitute a 

clearly unwarranted invasion of 

personal privacy. 

OO. To domestic governmental 

agencies seeking to determine the 

immigration status of persons who have 

applied to purchase/obtain a firearm in 

the United States, pursuant to checks 

conducted on such persons under the 

Brady Handgun Violence Prevention 

Act or other applicable laws. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF

RECORDS: 

Records in this system are stored 

electronically or on paper in secure 

facilities in a locked drawer behind a 

locked door. The records may be stored 

on magnetic disc, tape, and digital 

media. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF

RECORDS: 

DHS/USCIS retrieves records by 

searching in CIS using the following 

data alone or in any combination: 

• A-Number; 

• Full name; 

• Alias; 

• Sounds-like name with or without 

date of birth; 

• Certificate of Citizenship or 

Naturalization Certificate number; 

• Driver’s License number; 

• FBI Identification/Universal 

Control Number; 

• Fingerprint Identification Number; 

• I–94 admission number; 

• Passport number; 

• SSN; or 

• Travel Document number. 

DHS/USCIS retrieves records by 

searching electronic A–Files in EDMS 

by any of the following fields alone or 

in any combination: 

• A-Number; 

• Last name; 

• First name; 

• Middle name; 

• Aliases; 

• Date of birth; 

• Country of birth; 

• Gender; and 

• Through a full text-based search of 

records contained in the electronic A– 

File (based on optical character 

recognition of the scanned images). 

DHS/USCIS retrieves records by 

searching in USCIS ELIS using the 

following data alone or in any 

combination: 

• Full Name; 

• Aliases; 

• A-Number; 

• USCIS Online Account Number; 

• Date of birth; 

• Immigration benefit type and/or 

agency action requested (e.g., deferred 

action); 


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43564 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 

• Fee receipt data; 

• Date benefit request was filed; 

• Date benefit request was received; 

• Representative name; 

• Preparer name; and 

• Interpreter name. 

DHS/USCIS retrieves the location of 

A-Files, whether paper or electronic, by 

searching in NFTS using the following 

data: 

• A-Number; 

• USCIS Online Account Number; or 

• Receipt File Number. 

DHS/USCIS retrieves genealogy 

records and requests in MiDAS by 

searching the following data alone or in 

any combination: 

• Requestor’s first name; 

• Requestor’s last name; 

• Requestor’s Case and/or Control 

Number; 

• Record subject’s A–Number or 

immigration case file number; 

• Record subject’s first name; 

• Record subject’s last name; and 

• Record subject’s alias. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND

DISPOSAL OF RECORDS: 

The official A-File record may take 

three possible forms: (1) Records 

contained within the paper A-File; (2) 

records contained within the electronic 

record from EDMS or USCIS ELIS; or (3) 

a combination of paper and electronic 

records and supporting documentation. 

A-File records are maintained in 

accordance with N1–566–08–11. DHS/ 

USCIS transfers A-Files to the custody 

of NARA 100 years after the individual’s 

date of birth. 

CIS records are maintained in 

accordance with N1–566–10–01. CIS is 

an internal DHS-mission critical system 

that contains records that serve as a 

finding aid to agency case files. Records 

in CIS are permanently retained because 

they are the index of the A-File, 

summarize the history of an immigrant 

in the adjudication process, and identify 

the A-File location(s). 

NFTS records are maintained in 

accordance with N1–566–06–01. NFTS 

records are temporary and deleted when 

they are no longer needed for agency 

business. NFTS records associated with 

an A-File will be retained on a 

permanent basis even after the A-File 

has been retired to NARA to retain 

accurate recordkeeping. Other 

immigration case files with a shorter 

retention period will have the 

associated NFTS record destroyed or 

deleted once the file has been destroyed. 

MiDAS information (data and 

electronic images) pertaining to 

correspondence with the public and 

government requestor is retained and 

disposed every six years in accordance 

with the NARA General Records 

Schedules 4.2 and 14. The immigration 

case files contained in MiDAS are 

retained permanently. Records are 

transferred to NARA after 100 years 

after the last completed action. 

Records replicated on the unclassified 

and classified networks for analysis and 

vetting will follow the same retention 

schedule. 

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL

SAFEGUARDS: 

DHS/USCIS safeguards records in this 

system according to applicable rules 

and policies, including all applicable 

DHS automated systems security and 

access policies. USCIS has imposed 

strict controls to minimize the risk of 

compromising the information that is 

being stored. Access to the computer 

system containing the records in this 

system is limited to those individuals 

who have a need to know the 

information for the performance of their 

official duties and who have appropriate 

clearances or permissions. 

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES: 

The Secretary of Homeland Security 

has exempted this system from the 

notification, access, and amendment 

procedures of the Privacy Act, and those 

of the Judicial Redress Act (JRA) if 

applicable, because it is a law 

enforcement system. However, DHS/ 

USCIS will consider individual requests 

to determine whether or not information 

may be released. Thus, individuals 

seeking access to and notification of any 

record contained in this system of 

records, or seeking to contest its 

content, may submit a request in writing 

to the Chief Privacy Officer and USCIS 

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 

Officer, whose contact information can 

be found at http://www.dhs.gov/foia 

under ‘‘Contacts Information.’’ If an 

individual believes more than one 

component maintains Privacy Act 

records concerning him or her, the 

individual may submit the request to 

the Chief Privacy Officer and Chief 

Freedom of Information Act Officer, 

Department of Homeland Security, 

Washington, DC 20528–0655. Even if 

neither the Privacy Act nor the Judicial 

Redress Act provide a right of access, 

certain records about you may be 

available under the FOIA. 

When seeking records about yourself 

from this system of records or any other 

Departmental system of records, your 

request must conform with the Privacy 

Act regulations set forth in 6 CFR part 

5. You must first verify your identity, 

meaning that you must provide your full 

name, current address, and date and 

place of birth. You must sign your 

request, and your signature must either 

be notarized or submitted under 28 

U.S.C. 1746, a law that permits 

statements to be made under penalty of 

perjury as a substitute for notarization. 

While no specific form is required, you 

may obtain forms for this purpose from 

the Chief Privacy Officer and Chief 

Freedom of Information Act Officer, 

http://www.dhs.gov/foia or 1–866–431– 

0486. In addition, you should: 

• Explain why you believe the 

Department would have information on 

you; 

• Identify which component(s) of the 

Department you believe may have the 

information about you; 

• Specify when you believe the 

records would have been created; and 

• Provide any other information that 

will help the FOIA staff determine 

which DHS component agency may 

have responsive records. 

If your request is seeking records 

pertaining to another living individual, 

you must include a statement from that 

individual certifying his/her agreement 

for you to access his/her records. 

Without the above information, the 

component(s) may not be able to 

conduct an effective search, and your 

request may be denied due to lack of 

specificity or lack of compliance with 

applicable regulations. 

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES: 

For records covered by the Privacy 

Act or covered JRA records, see ‘‘access 

procedures’’ above. 

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES: 

See ‘‘Record Access procedure.’’ 

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM: 

The Secretary of Homeland Security 

has exempted this system from the 

following provisions of the Privacy Act 

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2): 5 U.S.C. 

552a(c)(3), (c)(4), (d), (e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), 

(e)(4)(G), (e)(4)(H), (e)(4)(I), (e)(5), (e)(8), 

(e)(12), (f), (g)(1), and (h). Additionally, 

the Secretary of Homeland Security has 

exempted this system from the 

following provisions of the Privacy Act 

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1) and 

(k)(2): 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3), (d), (e)(1), 

(e)(4)(G), (e)(4)(H), (e)(4)(I), and (f). 

When this system receives a record 

from another system exempted in that 

source system under 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2), 

DHS will claim the same exemptions for 

those records that are claimed for the 

original primary systems of records from 

which they originated and claims any 

additional exemptions set forth here. 

HISTORY: 

DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP–001 Alien File, 

Index, and National File Tracking 


sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 43565 

System of Records, 78 FR 69864 (Nov. 

21, 2013); Alien File, Index, and 

National File Tracking SORN, 76 FR 

34233l (Jun. 13, 2011); Alien File (AFile) and Central Index System (CIS) 

Systems of Records 78 FR 1755 (Jan. 16, 

2007). 

Jonathan R. Cantor, 

Acting Chief Privacy Officer, Department of 

Homeland Security. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19365 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–97–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement 

[OMB Control Number 1653–0038] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Student and Exchange 

Visitor Information System (SEVIS); 

Extension, Without Change, of a 

Currently Approved Collection 

AGENCY: U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement, Department of Homeland 

Security. 

NOTICE: 60-day notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be 

submitting the following information 

collection request to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review and clearance in accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995. The information collection is 

published in the Federal Register to 

obtain comments from the public and 

affected agencies. 

DATES: Comments are encouraged and 

will be accepted for sixty days until 

November 17, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments and 

suggestions regarding items contained 

in this notice and especially with regard 

to the estimated public burden and 

associated response time should be 

directed the Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS), PRA Clearance Officer, 

U.S. Immigrations and Customs 

Enforcement, 801 I Street NW., Mailstop 

5800, Washington, DC 20536–5800. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written 

comments and suggestions from the 

public and affected agencies concerning 

the proposed collection of information 

should address one or more of the 

following four points: 

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; 

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the 

agencies estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

(4) Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, including through the 

use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology, 

e.g., permitting electronic submission of 

responses. 

Overview of This Information 

Collection 

(1) Type of Information Collection: 

Extension, without change, of a 

currently approved information 

collection. 

(2) Title of the Form/Collection: 

Student and Exchange Visitor 

Information System (SEVIS). 

(3) Agency form number, if any, and 

the applicable component of the 

Department of Homeland Security 

sponsoring the collection: Forms I–17 

and I–20; U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement. 

(4) Affected public who will be asked 

or required to respond, as well as a brief 

abstract: Primary Non-profit institutions 

and individuals or households. SEVIS is 

an Internet-based data-entry, collection 

and reporting system. It collects 

information on SEVP-certified schools 

via the Form I–17, ‘‘Petition for 

Approval of School for Attendance by 

Nonimmigrant Student,’’ and collects 

information on the F and M 

nonimmigrant students that the SEVPcertified schools admit into their 

programs of study via the Forms I–20s: 

‘‘Certificate of Eligibility for 

Nonimmigrant (F–1) Student Status— 

For Academic and Language Students’’ 

and ‘‘Certificate of Eligibility for 

Nonimmigrant (M–1) Student Status— 

For Vocational Students’’. 

(5) An estimate of the total number of 

respondents and the amount of time 

estimated for an average respondent to 

respond: 

Number of 

respondents Form name/Form No. 

Average burden 

per response 

(in hours) 

280,000 .......... Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F–1) Student Status—For Academic and Language Students/ICE 

Form I–20 (Students).

0.5 

90,000 ............ Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M–1) Student Status—For Academic and Language Students/ICE 

Form I–20 (Spouse/Dependents).

0.5 

280,000 .......... Optional Practical Training 12 Month Request/No Form ................................................................................... 0.083 

12,000 ............ Optional Practical Training 17 Month Extension Request/No Form .................................................................. 0.083 

5,525 .............. Maintenance of SEVP Certification/ICE Form I–17 ............................................................................................ 4 

(6) An estimate of the total public 

burden (in hours) associated with the 

collection: 1,027,884 annual burden 

hours. 

Dated: September 12, 2017. 

Scott Elmore, 

PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer, U.S. Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement, Department of 

Homeland Security. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19713 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–28–P 


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