Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2003/06/09/03-14379/release-gratuities-transportation-and-clothing-aliens
Timestamp: 2015-11-29 17:42:44
Document Index: 186930951

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 218', 'art 571', 'art 551', 'ART 571', 'art 571', '§ 571', '§ 571']

Federal Register | Release Gratuities, Transportation, and Clothing: Aliens
Dates: This rule is effective on July 9, 2003.
-34301 (3 pages)
Document Number: 03-14379
Shorter URL: https://federalregister.gov/a/03-14379 Related Topics
This final rule amends the Bureau of Prisons (Bureau) regulations on release gratuities, transportation, and clothing to limit the release gratuity available to aliens. Only aliens released to immigration authorities for release or transfer to a community corrections center are eligible for a gratuity of up to $10. Aliens released for deportation, exclusion, or removal, or aliens detained or serving 60 days or less in a contract facility will not receive any release gratuity. We intend this rule to reduce costs by providing the gratuity only to those aliens whom the Bureau determines to be in need.
Classification and Program Review 2 actions from December 2001 to January 2002
Change to the Previous Rule
Public Comment and Bureau Response
The Bureau published a proposed rule amending its regulations on release gratuities, transportation, and clothing (28 CFR 571, subpart C) on October 4, 1999 (64 FR 53872). The previous regulations on this subject were published in the Federal Register on May 21, 1991 (56 FR 23480) and were amended on September 10, 1996 (61 FR 47795).
Change to the Previous Rule Back to Top
Previous provisions on release gratuities in section 571.21(e) specified that with the exception of aliens serving 60 days or less in contract facilities, each alien released to immigration authorities is to have $10 cash.
Under this final rule, aliens released for the purpose of deportation, exclusion, or removal will not receive a $10 gratuity. Because these inmates are to become the responsibility of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), it is not appropriate for the Bureau to provide a $10 gratuity.
We estimate that approximately 8.5% of the total inmate population of the Federal Bureau of Prisons will be affected by this rule.
Public Comment and Bureau Response Back to Top
We received five comments on the proposed rule. One commenter supported the rule, indicating that it would reduce cost to the Bureau.
Two commenters expressed concern that when aliens are released to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS, now the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services [BCIS]), they may not necessarily be released for the purposes of exclusion, deportation or removal, and therefore still need a $10 gratuity. One commenter was concerned that aliens may be “wrongly classified” by the Bureau as being excludable, deportable, or removable, a decision which, the commenter said, cannot be made without “a hearing before an Immigration judge.”
The Bureau's policies regarding release of aliens to the INS (BCIS) for exclusion, deportation, or removal can be found in the Bureau's Program Statement on the Institution Hearing Program (PS 5111.01), accessible on the internet at www.bop.gov or through the Freedom of Information Act process. This describes the process for identifying aliens for release to the INS (BCIS) for purposes of exclusion, deportation or removal. The Bureau, INS (BCIS) and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) jointly developed the Institution Hearing Program (IHP) to ensure that deportation proceedings begin as quickly as possible after an alien inmate's conviction and finish before the alien inmate's release date.
IHP hearing sites are specific institutions where alien inmates participate in immigration hearings conducted by the INS (BCIS) and EOIR. After INS (BCIS) and EOIR make a decision to exclude, deport or remove an alien, the alien is transferred to an IHP release site close to deportation locations, where alien inmates remain until their sentences expire. The INS (BCIS) and EOIR, not the Bureau, make the decision regarding an alien's status. Therefore, there is no way that the Bureau can “wrongly classify” an alien, as the commenter feared.
One commenter cited the preamble to the original rule, published in 1979 (44 FR 38236), which stated that the purpose of the gratuity is to ensure that the alien has money to care for him-/herself in the community until he/she receives an income. The commenter suggested that eliminating this gratuity would be contrary to the purpose of providing the funds—for transportation and communicating with family or legal counsel.
Since aliens who had received the $10 gratuity were not released to the community, but instead to INS (BCIS), they would have no need of support pending their ability to earn an income. Instead, they are released into the custody of INS (BCIS), who is responsible for transporting them, and they can access INS (BCIS) provisions for communicating with family members and legal counsel.
One commenter expressed concern that this rule would not actually reduce cost to the Bureau. According to our recent statistics, in December of 1999, we released approximately 958 INS (BCIS) detainees. Therefore, extrapolating this statistic, we estimate that approximately 11,500 aliens receive this gratuity annually. Therefore, this rule would save the Bureau approximately $115,000 every year. We consider this a significant cost savings for the Bureau.
Finally, we received a letter which we construed to be a comment on the proposed rule, as it raised the subject of release gratuities. However, we found that the commenter, an inmate, did not address the issues raised by the proposed rule, but instead questioned the Bureau's application of 18 U.S.C. 4281, instead of 18 U.S.C. 3624(d), to his situation. Although this comment is not relevant to this final rule, we will briefly address it here.
18 U.S.C. 4281, which was repealed in 1984 (see Pub.L. 98-473, Title II, § 218(a)(7), October 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2027), allowed only a $100 gratuity to prisoners upon release. Its replacement, 18 U.S.C. 3624(d), allows “an amount of money, not more than $500” in the Director's discretion. The inmate commented that, on his release, he should receive the $500 described in the latter statute instead of the $100 described in the former statute.
Section 235 of 98 stated that 18 U.S.C. 3624 and other provisions created by that Public Law would “take effect on the first day of the first calendar month beginning 36 months after the date of enactment [October 12, 1984] and [would] apply only to offenses committed after the taking effect of this chapter.” The effective date of 18 U.S.C. 3624 is, therefore, November 1, 1987. Because this commenter's offense occurred before November 1, 1987, 18 U.S.C. 3624(d) does not entitle him to a $500 gratuity upon release.
We publish the proposed rule, without change, as a final rule. You may send further comments on this rule by writing to the address noted above. Although we will not formally respond to further comments by publication in the Federal Register, we will consider them.
List of Subjects in 28 CFR Part 571 Back to Top
Under the rulemaking authority vested in the Attorney General in 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and delegated to the Director, Bureau of Prisons, we amend part 551 in subchapter C of 28 CFR, chapter V as set forth below.
PART 571—RELEASE FROM CUSTODY Back to Top
1.Revise the authority citation for 28 CFR part 571 to read as follows: Authority:
2.In § 571.21, revise paragraph (e) to read as follows: § 571.21 Procedures.
[FR Doc. 03-14379 Filed 6-6-03; 8:45 am]