[Federal Register: October 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 207)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 55482-55484] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr28oc09-17] ======================================================================== Proposed Rules Federal Register ________________________________________________________________________ This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules. ======================================================================== [[Page 55482]] DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Office of the Secretary 6 CFR Part 5 [Docket No. DHS-2009-0095] Privacy Act of 1974: Implementation of Exemptions; Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General--002 Investigative Records System of Records AGENCY: Privacy Office, DHS. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security is giving concurrent notice of an updated and reissued system of records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 for the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General--002 Investigative Records System of Records and this proposed rulemaking. In this proposed rulemaking, the Department proposes to exempt portions of this system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement requirements. DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 27, 2009. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS- 2009-0095, by one of the following methods: Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Fax: 703-483-2999. Mail: Mary Ellen Callahan, Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528. Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for this notice. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general questions please contact: Doris A. Wojnarowski (202-254-4211), Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Mail Stop 2600, 245 Murray Drive, SW., Building 410, Washington, DC 20528; or by facsimile (202) 254-4299. For privacy issues please contact: Mary Ellen Callahan (703-235-0780), Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Office, Department of Homeland Security, 245 Murray Drive, SW., Building 410, Washington, DC 20528. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: Concurrently with the publication of this notice of proposed rulemaking, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is publishing a revised system of records notice that is subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a. The system is titled, DHS/Office of Inspector General (OIG)--002 Investigations Data Management System of Records (IDMS) (70 FR 58448-58451, October 6, 2005). DHS is now updating and revising the systems notice under a new name titled, DHS/ OIG-002 Investigative Records System of Records, to cover the same records. DHS is proposing to continue to exempt this system, in part, from certain provisions of the Privacy Act. The OIG is responsible for conducting and supervising independent and objective audits, inspections, and investigations of the programs and operations of DHS. The OIG promotes economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within the Department and prevents and detects fraud, waste, and abuse in its programs and operations. The OIG's Office of Investigations, investigates allegations of criminal, civil, and administrative misconduct involving DHS employees, contractors, grantees, and Departmental programs and activities. These investigations can result in criminal prosecutions, fines, civil monetary penalties, and administrative sanctions. Additionally, the Office of Investigations provides oversight and monitors the investigative activity of DHS' various internal affairs offices. The DHS/OIG-002 Investigative Records System of Records assists the OIG with receiving and processing allegations of violation of criminal, civil, and administrative laws and regulations relating to DHS employees, contractors, grantees, and other individuals and entities associated with DHS. The system includes both paper investigative files and the Enforcement Data System (EDS), an electronic case management and tracking information system, which also generates reports. EDS allows the OIG to manage information provided during the course of its investigations, and, in the process, to facilitate its management of investigations and investigative resources. The Privacy Act embodies fair information principles in a statutory framework governing the means by which the United States Government collects, maintains, uses, and disseminates personally identifiable information. 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 the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual. Individuals may request their own records that are maintained in a system of records in the possession or under the control of DHS by complying with DHS Privacy Act regulations, 6 CFR part 5. The Privacy Act requires each agency to publish in the Federal Register a description of the type and character of each system of records that the agency maintains, and the routine uses that are contained in each system in order to make agency recordkeeping practices transparent, to notify individuals regarding the uses to which personally identifiable information is put, and to assist individuals in finding such files within the agency. The Privacy Act allows government agencies to exempt certain records from the access and amendment provisions. If an agency claims an exemption, however, it must issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to make clear to the public the reasons why a particular exemption is claimed. DHS is claiming exemptions from certain requirements of the Privacy Act for the DHS/OIG-002 Investigative Records System of Records. Some information in the DHS/OIG-002 Investigative Records System of Records [[Page 55483]] relates to official DHS national security, immigration, intelligence, and law enforcement activities. These exemptions are needed to protect information relating to DHS activities from disclosure to subjects of investigations and others related to these activities. Specifically, the exemptions are required to preclude subjects of investigations from frustrating the investigative process; to avoid disclosure of investigative techniques; to protect the identities and physical safety of confidential informants and law enforcement personnel; to ensure DHS' ability to obtain information from third parties and other sources; to protect the privacy of third parties; and to safeguard classified information. Disclosure of information to the subject of the inquiry could also permit the subject to avoid detection or apprehension. The exemptions proposed here are standard law enforcement and national security exemptions exercised by a large number of Federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. In appropriate circumstances, where compliance would not appear to interfere with or adversely affect the law enforcement purposes of this system and the overall law enforcement process, the applicable exemptions may be waived on a case by case basis. A revised notice of a system of records for the Investigative Records System is also published in this issue of the Federal Register. List of Subjects in 6 CFR Part 5 Freedom of information, Privacy. For the reasons stated in the preamble, DHS proposes to amend Chapter I of Title 6, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows: PART 5--DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS AND INFORMATION 1. The authority citation for part 5 continues to read as follows: Authority: 6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.; Public Law 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135; 5 U.S.C. 301. Subpart A also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552. Subpart B also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552a. 2. Add at the end of Appendix C to Part 5, the following paragraph ``5'': Appendix C to Part 5--DHS Systems of Records Exempt From the Privacy Act * * * * * 5. The DHS/OIG-002 Investigative Records System of Records consists of electronic and paper records used by the DHS OIG. The DHS/OIG-002 Investigative Records System of Records is a repository of information held by DHS in connection with its several and varied missions and functions, including, but not limited to the enforcement of civil and criminal laws; investigations, inquiries, and proceedings thereunder; and national security and intelligence activities. The DHS/OIG-002 Investigative Records System of Records contains information that is collected by, on behalf of, in support of, or in cooperation with DHS components and may contain personally identifiable information collected by other Federal, state, local, tribal, foreign, or international government agencies. The Secretary of Homeland Security has exempted this system from the following provisions of the Privacy Act, subject to limitations set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and (4); (d); (e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), (e)(4)(G), (e)(4)(H), (e)(5) and (e)(8); (f); and (g) pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2). Additionally, the Secretary of Homeland Security has exempted this system from the following provisions of the Privacy Act, subject to limitations set forth in 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3); (d); (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), and (e)(4)(H); and (f) pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (k)(1), (k)(2) and (k)(5). Exemptions from these particular subsections are justified, on a case-by-case basis to be determined at the time a request is made, for the following reasons: (a) From subsection (c)(3)(Accounting for Disclosures) because release of the accounting of disclosures could alert the subject of an investigation of an actual or potential criminal, civil, or regulatory violation, to the existence of the investigation; and reveal investigative interest on the part of DHS as well as the recipient agency. Disclosure of the accounting would therefore present a serious impediment to law enforcement efforts and/or efforts to preserve national security. Disclosure of the accounting would also permit the individual who is the subject of a record to impede the investigation, tamper with witnesses or evidence, and avoid detection or apprehension, which would undermine the entire investigative process. (b) From subsection (d)(Access to Records) because access to the records contained in this system of records could inform the subject of an investigation of an actual or potential criminal, civil, or regulatory violation, to the existence of the investigation, and reveal investigative interest on the part of DHS or another agency. Access to the records could permit the individual who is the subject of a record to impede the investigation, tamper with witnesses or evidence, and avoid detection or apprehension. Amendment of the records could interfere with ongoing investigations and law enforcement activities and would impose an impossible administrative burden by requiring investigations to be continuously reinvestigated. In addition, permitting access and amendment to such information could disclose security-sensitive information that could be detrimental to homeland security. (c) From subsection (e)(1)(Relevancy and Necessity of Information) because in the course of investigations into potential violations of federal law, the accuracy of information obtained or introduced occasionally may be unclear or the information may not be strictly relevant or necessary to a specific investigation. In the interests of effective law enforcement, it is appropriate to retain all information that may aid in establishing patterns of unlawful activity. (d) From subsection (e)(2)(Collection of Information from Individuals) because requiring that information be collected from the subject of an investigation would alert the subject as to the nature or existence of an investigation, thereby interfering with the related investigation and law enforcement activities. (e) From subsection (e)(3)(Notice to Subjects) because providing such detailed information would impede law enforcement in that it could compromise investigations by: revealing the existence of an otherwise confidential investigation and thereby providing an opportunity for the subject of an investigation to conceal evidence, alter patterns of behavior, or take other actions that could thwart investigative efforts; revealing the identity of witnesses in investigations thereby providing an opportunity for the subjects of the investigations or others to harass, intimidate, or otherwise interfere with the collection of evidence or other information from such witnesses; or revealing the identity of confidential informants, which would negatively affect the informant's usefulness in any ongoing or future investigations and discourage members of the public from cooperating as confidential informants in any future investigations. (f) From subsections (e)(4)(G) and (H)(Agency Requirements) and (f)(Agency Rules), because portions of this system are exempt from the individual access provisions of subsection (d) for the reasons noted above, and therefore DHS is not required to establish rules or procedures with respect to such access. Providing notice to individuals with respect to existence of records pertaining to them in this system of records or otherwise setting up procedures pursuant to which individuals may access and view records pertaining to themselves in the system would undermine investigative efforts and reveal the identities of witnesses, potential witnesses, and confidential informants. (g) From subsection (e)(5)(Collection of Information) because in the collection of information for law enforcement purposes it is impossible to determine in advance what information is accurate, relevant, timely, and complete. Compliance with (e)(5) would preclude DHS agents from using their investigative training and exercise of good judgment to both conduct and report on investigations. (h) From subsection (e)(8)(Notice on Individuals) because compliance would interfere with DHS' ability to obtain, serve, and issue subpoenas, warrants and other law enforcement mechanisms that may be filed under seal, and could result in disclosure of investigative techniques, procedures, and evidence. (i) From subsection (g)(Civil Remedies) to the extent that the system is exempt from other specific subsections of the Privacy Act relating to individuals' rights to access and amend their records contained in the system. Therefore, DHS is not required to establish rules or procedures pursuant to which individuals may seek a civil remedy for the [[Page 55484]] agency's refusals to amend a record; refusal to comply with a request for access to records; failure to maintain accurate, relevant, timely, and complete records; or failure to otherwise comply with an individual's right to access or amend records. Dated: October 20, 2009. Mary Ellen Callahan, Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security. [FR Doc. E9-25944 Filed 10-27-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-9B-P
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