The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office of Public Engagement is inviting national stakeholders to join in a collaboration session with USCIS to outline the employment eligibility verification process that an employer confirms an employee’s eligibility to work in the United States.  The USCIS Verification Division is responsible for administering both the Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) and E-Verify which are used by employers to confirm employment eligibility. Stakeholders interested in taking part in this meeting can attend in person or via telephone.

For complete information, please click:  USCIS Meeting Invitation

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to modify its system of records relating to Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) in order to accommodate more information that will be collected and maintained on individuals. ICE’s SEVIS-II is a system that tracks and monitors F, M, J nonimmigrants throughout the duration of approved participation within the U.S. education system or designated exchange visitor program. The new system will update categories of individuals; categories of records; purpose of the system; routine usages; policies and practices for storing; retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system. ICE seeks comments from the public on this proposal.

For complete information, please click: SEVIS database modified

Pursuant to Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is planning to add a new system of records to its Security’s inventory, entitled United States Citizenship and Immigration Services-010 Asylum Information and Pre-Screening System of Records.  This new system is composed of two existing legacy IT systems: The Refugees, Asylum and Parole System and Asylum Pre-Screening System.  These systems are used to capture information pertaining to asylum applications, credible fear and reasonable fear screening processes, and applications for benefits provided by Section 203 of the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act.

The DHS seeks comments on the new system of records on or before February 4, 2010 and the new system will be effective on the same day.

For complete information, please click:  New DHS asylum database

Wednesday, Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation announced that it has reached a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Texas and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in relation to an investigation on hiring and employment of individuals unauthorized to work at Pilgrims Pride’s plants in the Eastern District of Texas. Under the terms of the non-prosecution agreement, the company has agreed to pay $4.5 million and adopt more stringent immigration compliance programs to ensure that its employees have work authorization in the United States. The parties acknowledge that agreement does not constitute any civil or criminal misconduct on the part of the Pilgrim’s Pride.  In 2007 and 2008, ICE conducted work site enforcement actions at five Pilgrim’s Pride locations. As a result, a total of approximately 338 unauthorized workers were apprehended. Pilgrim’s Pride cooperated fully with the U.S. Attorney’s office and ICE throughout the course of the investigation. As part of the settlement, Pilgrim’s Pride recognizes that its voluntary compliance programs can be enhanced to more accurately identify unauthorized persons who seek or gain employment through identity fraud or other unlawful means.

For complete information, please click: DOJ and ICE REACH $4.5 MILLION AGREEMENT WITH PILGRIM’S PRIDE

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended the December 31 REAL ID material compliance deadline, while the May 10, 2011 deadline for full compliance remains intact. The announcement came in the wake of a large majority of states and territories expressing their inability to meet December 31 deadline. The National Governors Association has said, the states have made tremendous progress in driver’s license security but simply cannot fulfill the requirements of REAL ID. The latest decision has been taken in order to ensure that the trips of millions of Americans traveling this holiday season are not disrupted.

For full information, please click: REAL ID Deadline Extended

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued a report on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) practices for determining the age of individuals in its custody, focusing on the use of dental or skeletal radiographs. The report was prepared at the request of the House Appropriations Committee wherein the OIG was asked to report on any cases in which ICE used bone and dental forensics in 2008-09. In its report, the OIG concluded that ICE recognizes the limits of radiographs and strives to obtain additional information when making age determinations, however recommended the ICE to track age determinations data better; update guidance for field offices; and ensure that radiographic exam results include all required information and are properly documented.

For complete information, please click: Age Determination Practices for Unaccompanied Alien Children in ICE Custody

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has published Attorney General’s new Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) guidelines issued pursuant to the President’s directive.  On January 21, 2009, the President issued a memorandum for the heads of executive departments and agencies on the FOIA. The memorandum mandated that the Attorney General issue new guidelines governing the FOIA to the heads of executive departments and agencies, reaffirming the commitment to accountability and transparency and to publish such guidelines in the Federal Register.  The Attorney General Issued FOIA guidelines on March 19, 2009 that are published in the Federal Register September 29, 2009.

For detailed information, please read: DOJ Publishes Attorney General New FOIA Guidelines

In Yesterday’s Federal Register, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, gave a concurrent notice of a new system of records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Visa Security Program Records (VSPR) and proposed rulemaking. In this proposed rulemaking, the Department proposes 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. Comments on the proposed rulemaking can be sent until October 30, 2009, using any of the following mode, Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov or Fax at: 703-483-2999 or mail: Mary Ellen Callahan, Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528.

For complete information, please click Privacy Act of 1974; Implementation of Exemptions: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-012 Visa Security Program Records

Last week, more than 40 organizations have submitted a letter to Richard L. Skinner, Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security, requesting an audit of the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS). The letter, which calls for the DHS Inspector General to make findings on the effectiveness of the NSEERS, the costs incurred with implementing the program, the relationship between NSEERS and the United States Visitors and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program, the use of NSEERS in Operation Frontline and the impact of NSEERS non-compliance on individuals and families, and the adequacy of notice surrounding the program. The letter was signed by the local, state and national organizations, including community-based groups, faith-based organizations, civil and human rights groups, coalition groups, and immigration advocacy groups.

For complete information please click: Over 40 Organizations Send Letter to DHS Inspector General Calling for NSEERS Audit

Pursuant to Vienna convention and other bilateral covenants between the United States and the United Mexican States, the Consulate General of Mexico in Houston, has entered into a local arrangement with Houston Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Field Offices for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for the safe and orderly repatriation of Mexican nationals from U.S. to Mexico. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has 14 sections that deal with Criteria and Procedures, Consular Notification and Access, Interior and Border Coordination, and Arrangement’s Evaluation. This is a local arrangement and only 34 counties of Texas are covered under the MOU, if any undocumented Mexican is found, the U.S. immigration enforcement authorities should take appropriate actions mentioned in this MOU and repatriate them back to Mexico.

For complete information, please click Repatriation to Mexico from Houston