Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families, 8273-8275 [2021-02562]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 23 (Friday, February 5, 2021)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 8273-8275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02562]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 23 / Friday, February 5, 2021 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 8273]]


                Executive Order 14011 of February 2, 2021

                
Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the 
                Reunification of Families

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and in order to reunite children separated 
                from their families at the United States-Mexico border, 
                it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my 
                Administration to respect and value the integrity of 
                families seeking to enter the United States. My 
                Administration condemns the human tragedy that occurred 
                when our immigration laws were used to intentionally 
                separate children from their parents or legal guardians 
                (families), including through the use of the Zero-
                Tolerance Policy. My Administration will protect family 
                unity and ensure that children entering the United 
                States are not separated from their families, except in 
                the most extreme circumstances where a separation is 
                clearly necessary for the safety and well-being of the 
                child or is required by law.

                Sec. 2. Establishment. There is hereby established an 
                Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families 
                (Task Force).

                Sec. 3. Membership. (a) The Task Force shall include 
                the following members or their designees:

(i) the Secretary of Homeland Security, who shall serve as Chair;

(ii) the Secretary of State, who shall serve as a Vice Chair;

(iii) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who shall serve as a Vice 
Chair;

(iv) the Attorney General;

(v) such other officers or employees of the Departments of State, Justice, 
Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, as the head of each 
respective department may designate; and

(vi) such other officers or employees of executive departments and agencies 
(agencies) as the Chair or Vice Chairs may invite to participate, with the 
concurrence of the head of the agency concerned.

                    (b) The Chair shall convene and preside at meetings 
                of the Task Force. The Chair, in consultation with the 
                Vice Chairs, shall direct its work and, as appropriate, 
                establish and direct subgroups of the Task Force.

                Sec. 4. Functions. The Task Force shall, consistent 
                with applicable law, perform the following functions:

                    (a) Identifying all children who were separated 
                from their families at the United States-Mexico border 
                between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021, in 
                connection with the operation of the Zero-Tolerance 
                Policy;
                    (b) To the greatest extent possible, facilitating 
                and enabling the reunification of each of the 
                identified children with their families by:

(i) providing recommendations to heads of agencies concerning the exercise 
of any agency authorities necessary to reunite the children with their 
families, including:

  (A) recommendations regarding the possible exercise of parole under 
section 212(d)(5)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as 
amended (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A)), or the issuance of visas or other 
immigration benefits, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law;

[[Page 8274]]

  (B) recommendations regarding the provision of additional services and 
support to the children and their families, including trauma and mental 
health services; and

  (C) recommendations regarding reunification of any additional family 
members of the children who were separated, such as siblings, where there 
is a compelling humanitarian interest in doing so;

(ii) providing recommendations to the President concerning the exercise of 
any Presidential authorities necessary to reunite the children with their 
families, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law; and

(iii) for purposes of developing the recommendations described in this 
subsection, and in particular with respect to recommendations regarding the 
manner and location of reunification, consulting with the children, their 
families, representatives of the children and their families, and other 
stakeholders, and considering the families' preferences and parental rights 
as well as the children's well-being; and

                    (c) Providing regular reports to the President, 
                including:

(i) an initial progress report no later than 120 days after the date of 
this order;

(ii) interim progress reports every 60 days thereafter;

(iii) a report containing recommendations to ensure that the Federal 
Government will not repeat the policies and practices leading to the 
separation of families at the border, no later than 1 year after the date 
of this order; and

(iv) a final report when the Task Force has completed its mission.

                Sec. 5. Task Force Administration. (a) To the extent 
                permitted by law, and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations, the Department of Homeland Security 
                shall provide the funding and administrative support 
                the Task Force needs to implement this order, as 
                determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

                    (b) To the extent permitted by law, including the 
                Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535), and subject to the 
                availability of appropriations, additional agencies 
                represented on the Task Force may detail staff to the 
                Task Force, or otherwise provide administrative 
                support, as necessary to implement this order, as 
                determined by the respective heads of agencies.
                    (c) The Task Force shall coordinate, as appropriate 
                and consistent with applicable law, with relevant 
                stakeholders, including domestic and international non-
                governmental organizations, and representatives of the 
                children and their families.
                    (d) The Task Force, at the direction of the Chair, 
                may hold public meetings and engagement sessions as 
                necessary to carry out its mission.
                    (e) The Task Force shall terminate 30 days after it 
                provides its final report to the President under 
                section 4(c)(iv) of this order.

                Sec. 6. Revocation of Executive Order 13841. Executive 
                Order 13841 of June 20, 2018 (Affording Congress an 
                Opportunity To Address Family Separation), is hereby 
                revoked.

                Sec. 7. Definitions. For purposes of this order:

                    (a) The term ``children'' includes all persons who 
                were under the age of 18 at the time they were 
                separated from their families at the border.
                    (b) The term ``Zero-Tolerance Policy'' means the 
                policy discussed in the Attorney General's memorandum 
                of April 6, 2018, entitled, ``Zero-Tolerance for 
                Offenses Under 8 U.S.C. 1325(a),'' and any other 
                related policy, program, practice, or initiative 
                resulting in the separation of children from their 
                families at the United States-Mexico border.

                Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

[[Page 8275]]

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    February 2, 2021.

[FR Doc. 2021-02562
Filed 2-4-21; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F1-P