Privacy Act of 1974; Department of Homeland Security/United States Citizenship and Immigration Services-017 Refugee Case Processing and Security Screening Information System of Records, 72075-72080 [2016-25195]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72075-72080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25195]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. DHS-2016-0047]


Privacy Act of 1974; Department of Homeland Security/United 
States Citizenship and Immigration Services-017 Refugee Case Processing 
and Security Screening Information System of Records

AGENCY: Privacy Office, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice of Privacy Act system of records.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to establish a new Department of 
Homeland Security system of records titled, ``DHS/United States 
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)-017 Refugee Case 
Processing and Security Screening Information'' system of records. DHS/
USCIS collects, uses, and maintains records on individuals seeking 
refugee status.
    This newly established system will be included in the Department of 
Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.

DATES: Submit comments on or before November 18, 2016. This new system 
will be effective November 18, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS-
2016-0047 by one of the following methods:
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: https://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.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number for this rulemaking. All comments received will be 
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or

[[Page 72076]]

comments received, please visit https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general questions, please contact: 
Donald K. Hawkins, (202) 272-8030, 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the DHS/
USCIS proposes to establish a new DHS system of records titled, ``DHS/
USCIS-017 Refugee Case Processing and Security Screening Information'' 
system of records.
    A refugee is generally defined under U.S. law as a person who is 
outside his or her country of origin and is unable or unwilling to 
return because of past persecution or a well-founded fear of future 
persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political 
opinion, or membership in a particular social group. In certain 
instances, under U.S. law, persons within their countries of 
nationality or habitual residence may be considered refugees for the 
purpose of admission to United States. The U.S. Refugee Admissions 
Program (USRAP) was created by the Executive Branch and authorized by 
Congress to admit foreign nationals who are outside the United States 
as refugees. An applicant must first be given access to the USRAP 
before he or she can be considered for eligibility as a refugee. The 
USRAP is an interagency partnership involving federal agencies, such as 
the Department of State (DOS) and DHS, and international and 
nongovernmental organizations working together, both overseas and 
domestically, to identify and admit qualified refugees for resettlement 
into the United States. Within DHS, USCIS has responsibility for 
adjudicating applications for refugee status and reviewing case 
decisions, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) screens 
arriving refugees for admission at the port of entry.
    Data on refugee applications are entered into the DOS-owned and 
operated Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS), which 
is an electronic case management system for refugee resettlement that 
is used by DOS Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) and 
its worldwide partners and facilitates the refugee resettlement 
process. WRAPS contains case information and tracks the processing of 
refugee applications as they move through the required administrative 
and adjudicative steps until arrival in the United States.
    USCIS is responsible for determining applicants' eligibility for 
refugee status based on in-person interviews with USCIS adjudicators. 
Refugee applicants are also subject to numerous biographic and 
biometric security checks. Refugees are considered for resettlement in 
the United States if they meet one of the three processing priorities 
established by DOS:
    (1) The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
(UNHCR), a U.S. Embassy, or a specially trained non-governmental 
organization refers them to the United States for resettlement 
consideration;
    (2) Groups of special concern identified by the USRAP; or
    (3) Family reunification cases (i.e., spouses, unmarried children 
under 21, parents of persons lawfully admitted to the United States as 
refugees or asylees, or persons who are lawful permanent residents or 
U.S. citizens who previously had refugee or asylum status for 
designated nationalities).
    Generally, refugees must be outside their country of origin or last 
habitual residence to be eligible for access to the USRAP; however the 
USRAP has legal authority to process refugees in their home countries 
in certain locations.
    All refugee applicants, derivatives, and certain family members are 
subject to background security checks. As part of this process, refugee 
applicants undergo a series of biometric and biographic checks. USCIS 
may provide enhanced review and screening of certain refugee cases. 
Through close coordination with the federal law enforcement and 
intelligence communities, these checks are continually reviewed and 
enhanced. Additionally, in some instances these checks may involve 
reviewing social media to identify information on applicants related to 
national security concerns and/or the refugee eligibility 
determination.
    If the USCIS adjudicator finds that the individual qualifies as a 
refugee and meets other U.S. admission criteria, the officer will 
approve or conditionally approve the refugee's application for 
resettlement and submit it to the Resettlement Support Center (RSC) for 
further processing. Conditional approvals become final once the results 
of all background checks have been received and reviewed by USCIS. Upon 
arrival in the United States, and after admission by a CBP Officer, 
USCIS creates the A-Files from the refugee travel packet and from 
documents forwarded from the RSC.
    Individuals admitted to the United States as a refugee are required 
to apply for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent 
resident one year after admission as refugees. Until adjustment of 
status, persons admitted as refugees possess ``refugee status,'' unless 
such status is terminated by USCIS. Employment authorization for 
refugees admitted to the United States is incidental to refugee status. 
A refugee admitted to the United Statement may request derivative 
refugee status for his/her spouse and unmarried children under the age 
of 21 within two years of admission as a refugee by filing Form I-730, 
Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition. Refugees who wish to travel abroad 
may obtain a refugee travel document in order to facilitate their 
return to the United States. USCIS is also responsible for processing 
applications for permanent residency, employment authorization, and 
refugee travel documents, which are processed in the Computer Linked 
Applications Management System 3 (CLAIMS 3) and Case and Activity 
Management for International Operations (CAMINO). More information on 
these systems is available at www.dhs.gov/privacy. Benefit request 
forms are stored in either the A-File or Receipt File.
    USCIS has established the Refugee Case Processing and Security 
Screening Information system of records to facilitate intake, 
adjudication, and review of refugee programs. USCIS uses Refugee Case 
Processing and Security Screening Information to track case status, as 
well as initiate, facilitate, and track biometric and biographic check 
screenings and to prevent the approval of any benefit prior to the 
review and completion of all background checks. Finally, these records 
are used by USCIS to generate statistical reports to assist with 
oversight of production and processing goals.
    As a matter of policy, the regulations at 8 CFR 208.6 prohibiting 
disclosure of information contained in or pertaining to an alien's 
application for asylum, credible fear determination, or reasonable fear 
determination are applied to an alien's application or status as a 
refugee. USCIS affords information covered by the DHS/USCIS-017 Refugee 
Case Processing and Security Screening Information System SORN the 
confidentiality protections contained in 8 CFR 208.6, which strictly 
limits the disclosure of information to third parties. Information 
protected by 8 CFR 208.6 may not be disclosed without the written 
consent of the applicant,

[[Page 72077]]

except as permitted by 8 CFR 208.6(c) or at the discretion of the 
Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General of the United 
States.
    Consistent with DHS's information sharing mission, information 
covered by the DHS/USCIS-017 Refugee Case Processing and Security 
Screening Information SORN 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, DHS/USCIS may share information with 
appropriate federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, foreign, or 
international government agencies consistent with the confidentiality 
provisions of 8 CFR. 208.6 and with the routine uses set forth in this 
system of records notice.
    This new 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. As a matter of policy, DHS extends administrative 
Privacy Act protections to all individuals when systems of records 
maintain information on U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and 
visitors.
    Below is the description of the DHS/USCIS-017 Refugee Case 
Processing and Security Screening Information 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 of Records
    Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/United States Citizenship and 
Immigration Services (USCIS)-017

System name:
    DHS/USCIS-017 Refugee Case Processing and Security Screening 
Information

Security classification:
    Unclassified, Sensitive, For Official Use Only. The data may be 
retained on classified networks, but this does not change the nature 
and character of the data until it is combined with classified 
information.

System location:
    Records are maintained in DHS/USCIS information technology (IT) 
systems and associated electronic and paper files located at USCIS 
Headquarters in Washington, DC and in DHS/USCIS service centers and 
domestic and international field offices to support USCIS Refugee, 
Asylum, and International Operations (RAIO) Refugee Affairs Division 
(RAD). The DHS/USCIS IT systems, as well as DOS IT systems that support 
the Refugee Case Processing and Security Screening Information include: 
The DOS WRAPS, USCIS CAMINO, and CLAIMS 3. Refugee application data and 
biographic check results for the principal applicant, derivatives, and 
other family members are processed in DOS WRAPS and USCIS CAMINO. 
Biometric check results for the refugee applicant and derivatives are 
stored in the USCIS Customer Profile Management System (CPMS). 
Applications for the adjustment of status, refugee travel documents, 
and follow-to-join benefit petitions Form I-730, are processed in USCIS 
CAMINO and CLAIMS 3. Records are replicated from the operational DHS/
USCIS IT systems and maintained on DHS unclassified and classified 
networks.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
    Categories of individuals covered by this system include: (1) 
Individuals who have applied for admission to the United States under 
the USRAPS; (2) spouses (current and former) and children of a 
principal refugee applicant included in the refugee application; (3) 
principal refugee applicant's parents and relatives in the United 
States; (4) other individuals listed as part of the family tree and 
including points of contact in the United States and other individuals 
with whom the applicant associates; (5) individuals who have petitioned 
for follow-to-join (derivative) refugee or asylum status for their 
spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 on Form I-730 
Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition; (6) persons who complete refugee 
applications on behalf of the refugee applicant (e.g., form preparers, 
interpreters); and (7) individuals associated with partner 
organizations such as Resettlement Support Centers and the United 
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Categories of records in the system:
    Information about benefit requestor and derivatives may include:
     Full name;
     Alias(es);
     Physical and mailing addresses;
     Date of birth;
     Place of birth;
     Gender;
     Ethnicity or tribal group;
     Religion;
     Present Citizenship or Nationality;
     Alien Number (A-Number);
     Resettlement Support Center Case Number;
     Receipt Number;
     USCIS Online Account Number;
     Social Security number (SSN), if any;
     Relationship to benefit requestor (i.e., children under 
the age of 21 and spouse);
     Employment authorization eligibility and application 
history;
     Records regarding organization membership or affiliation;
     Supporting documentation as necessary (e.g., birth, 
marriage, divorce certificates; licenses; academic diplomas; academic 
transcripts; appeals or motions to reopen or reconsider decisions; 
explanatory statements; and unsolicited information submitted 
voluntarily by the applicant or family members in support of a benefit 
request);
     Government-issued identification (e.g., passport, driver 
license):
    [cir] Document type;
    [cir] Issuing organization;
    [cir] Document number;
    [cir] Expiration date;
    [cir] Benefit requested;
     Notices and communications, including:
    [cir] Receipt notices;
    [cir] Requests for Evidence;
    [cir] Notices of Intent to Deny;
    [cir] Proofs of benefit;
     Phone and fax numbers;
     Email addresses;
     Social Media handles, associated identifiable information, 
and results;
     Marital status;
     Place of marriage;
     Arrival/Departure information;
     Immigration history (e.g., citizenship/naturalization 
certificate number, removals, explanations);
     Family relationships (e.g., parent, spouse, sibling, 
child, other dependents);
     Relationship practices (e.g., polygamy, custody, 
guardianship);
     Personal background information (e.g., involvement with 
national security threats, criminal offenses, Communist party 
affiliation, activity and/or affiliation with groups or organizations

[[Page 72078]]

abroad, torture, genocide, killing, injuring, forced sexual contact, 
limiting or denying others religious beliefs, service in military or 
other armed groups, work in penal or detention systems, weapons);
     Health information (e.g., vaccinations, referrals, 
communicable diseases, physical or mental disorders, prostitution, drug 
or alcohol abuse);
     Employment authorization eligibility and application 
history;
     Professional accreditation information;
     Financial information (e.g., income, expenses, 
scholarships, savings, assets, property, financial support, supporter 
information, life insurance, debts, encumbrances, tax records);
     Travel history;
     Explanation/description of foreign travel;
     Education history;
     Work history;
     Documents establishing identity and claimed relationship 
(e.g., marriage record, civil or criminal history, medical records, 
education records, DNA results);
     Physical description (e.g., height, weight, eye color, 
hair color, race, ethnicity, identifying marks like tattoos or 
birthmarks);
     Biometrics (i.e., fingerprints and photographs) and other 
information (e.g., race, ethnicity, weight, height, eye color, hair 
color);
     Background check results;
     Reports of investigations or derogatory information 
obtained from DHS and other federal systems;
     Refugee interview notes and assessments;
     Information regarding the status of Department of Justice 
(DOJ), Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) proceedings, if 
applicable; and
     Case processing information such as date applications were 
filed or received by USCIS; application/petition status, location of 
record, other control number when applicable, and fee receipt data.
    Information about the benefit requestor's parents and relatives in 
the United States and other individuals listed as part of the family 
tree and including points of contact in the United States and other 
individuals with whom the applicant associates:
     Name;
     Date of Birth;
     Relationship to the benefit requestor;
     Country of Birth;
     Address; and
     Background check results.
    Information about Registrants, Preparers, and Interpreters may 
include:
     Full name;
     Organization;
     Business State ID number;
     Employer Tax Identification Number;
     Physical and mailing addresses:
     Email address;
     Phone and fax numbers;
     Relationship to applicant; and
     Signature.
    Information about Accredited Representatives and Attorneys 
includes:
     Name;
     Law Firm/Recognized Organization;
     Physical and mailing addresses:
     Phone and fax numbers;
     Email address;
     Attorney Bar Card Number or equivalent;
     Bar membership;
     Accreditation date;
     Board of Immigration Appeals Representative Accreditation;
     Expiration date;
     Law Practice Restriction Explanation; and
     Signature.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
    Authority for maintaining this system is in Section 207 of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended.

Purpose(s):
    The purpose of this system is to collect, use, maintain, 
disseminate, and store refugee information, including the 
administration and adjudication of the review of refugee applications 
and follow-to-join applications for those who are seeking consideration 
for refugee resettlement, as well as applications for permanent 
residency, employment authorization, and travel abroad.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories 
of users and the purposes of such uses:
    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). Even when a valid routine 
use permits disclosure of information from this system of records to a 
third party, in some cases such disclosure may not be permissible 
because of confidentiality laws and policies that limit the sharing of 
information regarding individuals applying for refugee status.
    Information in this system of records contains information relating 
to persons who have pending or approved refugee applications or pending 
or approved follow-to-join petitions should not be disclosed pursuant 
to a routine use unless disclosure is otherwise permissible under 8 CFR 
208.6. These confidentiality provisions do not prevent DHS from 
disclosing information to the DOJ and Offices of the United States 
Attorneys as part of an ongoing criminal or civil investigation. These 
provisions permit disclosure to courts under certain circumstances as 
well, as provided under 8 CFR 208.6(c)(2). Subject to these 
restrictions:
    A. To the 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 it is relevant or 
necessary to the litigation and one of the following is a party of 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 
other Federal Government agencies 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 suspects or has confirmed that the security or 
confidentiality of information in the system of records has been 
compromised;
    2. DHS has determined that as a result of the suspected or 
confirmed compromise, there is a risk of identity theft or fraud, harm 
to economic or property interests, harm to an individual, or harm to 
the security or integrity of this system or other systems or programs 
(whether maintained by DHS or another agency or entity) that rely upon 
the compromised information; and
    3. 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

[[Page 72079]]

compromise and 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 DOS, their contractors, agents, grantees, experts, 
consultants, or others performing or working on a contract, service, 
grant, cooperative agreement, or other assignment for DOS (e.g., RSC, 
International Organization for Migration), when necessary to accomplish 
refugee case processing.
    I. 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 assist in anti-terrorism efforts and 
disclosure is appropriate to the proper performance of the official 
duties of the person making the disclosure.
    J. To requesting foreign governments under appropriate information 
sharing agreements and there is a legitimate need to share information 
for law enforcement or national security purposes under 8 CFR 208.6.

Disclosure to consumer reporting agencies:
    None.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, 
and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
    DHS/USCIS stores records in this system 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.

Retrievability:
    DHS/USCIS may retrieve records by any of the data elements listed 
above or a combination thereof. This may include name, date of birth, 
alias(es), place of birth, gender, ethnicity or tribal group, physical 
addresses, relatives addresses, A-Number, SSN, USCIS Online Account, 
Receipt Number, Resettlement Support Center Case Number, government-
issued identification, notices and communications, phone numbers, and 
email addresses.

Safeguards:
    DHS/USCIS safeguards records in this system according to applicable 
rules and policies, including all applicable DHS automated systems 
security and access policies. DHS/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.

Retention and disposal:
    DHS/USCIS stores the physical documentation in the Alien File, and 
maintains refugee case processing and security screening information 
and follow-to-join applications in the respective case management 
systems. The A-File records are permanent whether hard copy or 
electronic. USCIS transfers the A-Files to the custody of NARA 100 
years after the individual's date of birth.
    NARA approved the CAMINO [N1-566-12-06] and CLAIMS 3 [N1-566-08-12] 
Retention Schedules.
    CAMINO Master File automated records are maintained for 25 years 
after the case is closed and then destroyed.
    CLAIMS 3 records are destroyed after the data is transferred to the 
electronic master file and verified. Information in the master file is 
destroyed 15 years after the last completed action with respect to the 
benefit. USCIS is proposing to update the CLAIMS 3 Retention Schedule 
to destroy records 50 years after the last completed action. This 
retention schedule allows USCIS to address any follow-up inquiries or 
requests related to the application, including inquiries related to law 
enforcement, public safety, and national security, and to respond to 
Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act (FOIA/PA) matters.
    The biometric check data is retained in CPMS, which is governed by 
a DHS-wide retention schedule. The records in CPMS are retained for 100 
years from the individual's data of birth in accordance with the NARA 
Disposition Authority Number DAA-0563-2013-0001-0005.

System Manager and address:
    For refugee records, the DHS system manager is the Chief, Refugee 
Affairs Division, Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations 
Directorate, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of 
Homeland Security, 111 Massachusetts Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20529.
    For refugee follow-to-join records, the DHS system manager is the 
Chief, International Operations Division, Refugee, Asylum, and 
International Operations Directorate, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services, Department of Homeland Security, 111 Massachusetts Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC 20529.
    For refugee records relating to adjustment of status and travel, 
the DHS system manger is the Associate Director, Service Center 
Operations Directorate, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 
Department of Homeland Security, 111 Massachusetts Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20529.

Notification procedure:
    Individuals seeking notification of and access to any record 
contained in this system of records, or seeking to contest its content, 
may submit a request in writing to the National Records Center (NRC) 
FOIA/PA Office, P.O. Box 648010, Lee's Summit, MO, 64064-8010, whose 
contact information can be found at https://www.dhs.gov/foia under 
``Contacts.'' 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, 245 Murray 
Drive SW., Building 410, STOP-0655, Washington, DC 20528.
    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

[[Page 72080]]

Freedom of Information Act Officer, https://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.

Record access procedures:
    See ``Notification procedure'' above.

Contesting record procedures:
    See ``Notification procedure'' above.

Record source categories:
    DHS/USCIS obtains records from the applicant, and his or her 
accredited representative, preparer, or interpreter. Other information 
sources include family members, federal databases for security 
screening checks, RSCs, the DOS Refugee Processing Center, resettlement 
agencies, international organizations, and local sources at overseas 
sites. DHS/USCIS personnel may input information as they process a 
case, including information from internal and external sources to 
verify whether a benefit requestor or family is eligible for the 
refugee benefit requested. Refugee Case Process and Security Screening 
also stores and uses information from the following USCIS, DHS, and 
other federal agency systems of records:
     DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001 Alien File, Index, and National File 
Tracking System of Records, 78 FR 69864 (November 21, 2013);
     DHS/USCIS-002 Background Check Service, 72 FR 31082 (June 
5, 2007);
     DHS/USCIS-003 Biometric Storage System, 72 FR 17172 (April 
6, 2007);
     STATE-05, Overseas Citizen Services Records (May 2, 2008);
     STATE-26, Passport Records, (Mar. 24, 2015)STATE-39, DOS 
Visa Opinion Information Service (VOIS), 77 FR 65245, (Oct. 25, 2012);
     JUSTICE/FBI-002 The FBI Central Records System, 72 FR 3410 
(January 25, 2007);
     DoD/A0025-2 Defense Biometric Services, 74 FR 48237, 
(September 22, 2009);
     DoD Detainee Biometric Information System, 72 FR 14534, 
(March 28, 2007); and
     DoD/A0025-2a Defense Biometric Identification Records 
System, 74 FR 17840, (April 17, 2009).

Exemptions claimed for the system:
    None.

    Dated: October 5, 2016.
Jonathan R. Cantor,
Acting Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2016-25195 Filed 10-18-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-97-P