Identifying Recommendations To Support the Work of the Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families, 70512-70514 [2021-26691]

Download as PDF 70512 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 235 / Friday, December 10, 2021 / Notices individuals associated with the grant applications, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Name of Committee: National Institute on Drug Abuse Special Emphasis Panel; Mechanistic Studies on the Impact of Social Inequality on the Substance Use Trajectory. Date: February 3, 2022. Time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications. Place: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 301 North Stonestreet Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20892 (Virtual Meeting). Contact Person: Rebekah Feng, Ph.D., Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, 3WFN 09C49, MSC 6021, 301 North Stonestreet Avenue, Rockville, MD 20892, (301) 827–7245, rebekah.feng@nih.gov. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.277, Drug Abuse Scientist Development Award for Clinicians, Scientist Development Awards, and Research Scientist Awards; 93.278, Drug Abuse National Research Service Awards for Research Training; 93.279, Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: December 7, 2021. Tyeshia M. Roberson-Curtis, Program Analyst, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. 2021–26819 Filed 12–9–21; 8:45 am] Date: January 6, 2022. Time: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Agenda: To review and evaluate contract proposals. Place: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5601 Fishers Lane, Room 3F37, Rockville, MD 20892 (Virtual Meeting). Contact Person: Scott Jakes, Ph.D., Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review Program, Division of Extramural Activities, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5601 Fishers Lane, Room 3F37, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 669–5931, jakesse@mail.nih.gov. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.855, Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation Research; 93.856, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: December 7, 2021. Tyeshia M. Roberson-Curtis, Program Analyst, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. 2021–26820 Filed 12–9–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institutes of Health jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, notice is hereby given of the following meeting. The meeting will be closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in sections 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., as amended. The contract proposals and the discussions could disclose confidential trade secrets or commercial property such as patentable material, and personal information concerning individuals associated with the contract proposals, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Name of Committee: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Special Emphasis Panel; Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Program Contract Solicitation (PHS 2020–1) Topic 086 Development of rapid fungal diagnostics for select endemic dimorphic fungi (N01). VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:03 Dec 09, 2021 Jkt 256001 Dated: December 7, 2021. Tyeshia M. Roberson-Curtis, Program Analyst, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. 2021–26818 Filed 12–9–21; 8:45 am] National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Notice of Closed Meetings BILLING CODE 4140–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 9529, (301) 496–9223, mirahamed.hossain@ nih.gov. Name of Committee: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Special Emphasis Panel; NINDS Neuroscience Development for Advancing the Careers of a Diverse Research Workforce (R25). Date: January 11, 2022. Time: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications. Place: National Institutes of Health, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20852 (Virtual Meeting). Contact Person: DeAnna Lynn Adkins, Ph.D., Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review Branch, NINDS/NIH/DHHS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Blvd., Suite 3208, MSC 9529, Bethesda, MD 20892– 9529, 301–496–9223, deanna.adkins@ nih.gov. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.853, Clinical Research Related to Neurological Disorders; 93.854, Biological Basis Research in the Neurosciences, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, notice is hereby given of the following meetings. The meetings will be closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in sections 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., as amended. The grant applications and the discussions could disclose confidential trade secrets or commercial property such as patentable material, and personal information concerning individuals associated with the grant applications, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Name of Committee: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Special Emphasis Panel; NINDS Small Vessel VCID Biomarkers Validation Consortium Coordinating Center (U24) Review Meeting. Date: January 6, 2022. Time: 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications. Place: National Institutes of Health, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20852 (Virtual Meeting). Contact Person: Mir Ahamed Hossain, Ph.D., Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review Branch, NINDS/NIH/DHHS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Blvd., Suite 3208, MSC 9529, Bethesda, MD 20892– PO 00000 Frm 00083 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 BILLING CODE 4140–01–P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY [Docket No. DHS–2021–0051] Identifying Recommendations To Support the Work of the Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families Department of Homeland Security. ACTION: Request for public input. AGENCY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on behalf of the Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families (Task Force), is seeking comments from the public on recommendations for ways to minimize the separation of migrant parents and legal guardians and children entering the United States, consistent with the law. This input will help in the drafting of a report required by the Executive order titled ‘‘Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families.’’ DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 10, 2022. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS– 2021–0051, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Comments SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\10DEN1.SGM 10DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 235 / Friday, December 10, 2021 / Notices submitted in any other manner, including emails or letters sent to Task Force officials, may not be reviewed by the Task Force. The Task Force cannot accept any comments that are hand delivered or couriered. In addition, the Task Force cannot accept comments contained on any form of digital media storage devices, such as CDs/DVDs and USB drives. Due to COVID–19, the Task Force is also not accepting mailed comments at this time. If you cannot submit your comment by using https:// www.regulations.gov, please contact Samantha Deshommes, Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, by telephone at (240) 721–3000 for alternate instructions. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Anderson, Director of Policy for the Family Reunification Task Force, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, (240) 721–3000 (this is not a toll-free number). Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone numbers above via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1–877–889–5627. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Public Participation Interested persons are invited to comment on this notice by submitting input using the method identified in the ADDRESSES section above. Instructions: All comments received may be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov including any personal information provided. Docket: For access to the docket to view comments, go to https:// www.regulations.gov/. II. Background jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 A. Executive Order 14011 On February 2, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14011 (E.O. 14011), Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families, condemning the human tragedy that occurred when application of our immigration laws resulted in the separation of children from their parents or legal guardians (families), including through the use of the Zero-Tolerance Policy, and committing to protect family unity so that children entering the United States are not separated from their families, except in the most extreme circumstances when necessary for the safety and well-being of the child or when required by law.1 1 86 FR 8273 (published Feb. 5, 2021). VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:03 Dec 09, 2021 Jkt 256001 As early as February 2017, some Trump administration officials began discussing the separation of parents from their children at the U.S.-Mexico border. In the summer of 2017, in the El Paso, Texas Border Patrol Sector, there was an increase in the number of prosecutions for illegal entry which resulted in an increase in the number of family separations within that sector. On April 6, 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) formally announced the Zero-Tolerance Policy, which was implemented through a memorandum issued by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to all U.S. Attorney’s Offices along the Southwest border. Under this policy, DOJ would prosecute all referrals of individuals for 8 U.S.C. 1325 (unauthorized entry), to the extent practicable, even though it meant the separation of parents and children. On May 5, 2018, based on guidance from DHS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began to refer an increased number of individuals to DOJ for criminal prosecution for entering the United States without authorization, including parents who entered with their minor children. When parents were referred for criminal prosecution under 8 U.S.C. 1325, they were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service for the duration of their criminal proceedings. Their accompanying children were then classified as unaccompanied children (UC) and therefore transferred to the care and custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS–ORR). On June 20, 2018, President Trump signed Executive Order 13841, Affording Congress an Opportunity to Address Family Separation, to maintain family unity during the pendency of immigration and criminal proceedings relating to 8 U.S.C. 1325 prosecutions for unauthorized entry, where appropriate and consistent with the law.2 The separations of parents and children were challenged in federal court, and on June 26, 2018, a federal district court ordered the reunification of a certified class of parents with their children. The court later expanded the class to include parents who entered the United States with their child(ren) on or after July 1, 2017, were separated from their children, and whose children were not in HHS–ORR custody on June 26, 2018. The Department, including Task Force agency members, is involved in multiple active litigation cases involving separated families, but that 2 83 PO 00000 FR 29435 (published Jun. 25, 2018). Frm 00084 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 70513 litigation is ongoing and outside the scope of this request for public information. B. Scope and Functions of the Task Force E.O. 14011 established the Task Force, which focuses on family separations that occurred at the U.S.Mexico border between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021, in connection with the operation of the Zero-Tolerance Policy. E.O. 14011 defines ‘‘Zero-Tolerance Policy’’ as 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. E.O. 14011 identifies the Task Force’s key functions as the following: • Identify all children who were separated by DHS from their families at the United States-Mexico border between January 20, 2017 and January 20, 2021 as a result of the ZeroTolerance Policy; • Facilitate and enable the reunification of those children with their families; • Provide recommendations regarding the provision of additional services and support for the children and their families, including behavioral health services with a focus on traumainformed care; and • Provide regular reports to the President, including: An initial progress report no later than 120 days after the date of E.O. 14011; interim progress reports every 60 days thereafter; 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 E.O. 14011; and a final report when the Task Force has completed its mission. The Task Force leverages the authorities and functions of the Secretaries of Homeland Security, State, and Health and Human Services, the Attorney General, and other key government officials to complete the functions ordered in E.O. 14011. C. Recommendations Report Section 4(c)(iii) of E.O. 14011 requires the Task Force to provide the President ‘‘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.’’ E:\FR\FM\10DEN1.SGM 10DEN1 70514 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 235 / Friday, December 10, 2021 / Notices III. Request for Input DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR E.O. 14011 directs the Task Force to coordinate its work, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, with relevant stakeholders, including domestic and international nongovernmental organizations, and representatives of the children and their families. Based on this directive, the Task Force is soliciting input and recommendations to minimize the separation of migrant parents and legal guardians and children entering the United States, consistent with law. The Task Force welcomes thoughts on the causes of family separations that occurred incident to the Zero-Tolerance policy as well as policies, procedures, or regulations that may minimize the separation of migrant parents and legal guardians and children entering the United States, consistent with law. This is not an exhaustive list of the types of comments the Task Force is interested in receiving on this important topic and the public may provide additional thoughts and concerns. Fish and Wildlife Service IV. Review of Public Feedback The Task Force will use the public’s feedback to help draft recommendations to the President on how to prevent the Federal Government in the future form separating children from their parents except in the most extreme circumstances where a separation is clearly necessary for the safety and wellbeing of the child or is required by law, as directed in E.O. 14011. Public input provided in response to this notice does not bind the Task Force to any further actions, to include publishing a formal response or agreement to initiate a recommended change. The Task Force will consider the feedback and include the feedback in its report at its sole discretion. Disclaimer jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 This notice is for information and planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as creating or resulting in any obligation on the part of DHS. Dated: December 6, 2021. Michelle Brane´, Executive Director, Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. [FR Doc. 2021–26691 Filed 12–9–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110–9B–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:03 Dec 09, 2021 Jkt 256001 [Docket No. FWS–R3–ES–2021–0126; FXES11140300000–212] Aitkin-Carlton Counties Habitat Conservation Plan, Aitkin and Carlton Counties, Minnesota; Receipt of an Application for an Incidental Take Permit, Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan; Categorical Exclusion Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability of documents; request for comments and information. AGENCY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application from Aitkin and Carlton Counties for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act for the proposed Aitkin-Carlton Counties Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). If approved, the ITP would authorize the incidental take of three bat species for a 25-year period. The applicant has prepared an HCP to cover a suite of activities associated with continued forest and habitat management. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant’s proposed HCP, and on the Service’s preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ‘‘low-effect,’’ categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also available for public review. DATES: We will accept comments received or postmarked on or before January 10, 2022. ADDRESSES: Document availability: Electronic copies of the documents this notice announces, along with public comments received, will be available online in Docket No. FWS–R3–ES–2021–0126 at https://www.regulations.gov. Comment submission: In your comment, please specify whether your comment addresses the proposed HCP, draft environmental action statement, or any combination of the aforementioned documents, or other supporting documents. You may submit written comments by one of the following methods: • Online: https:// www.regulations.gov. Search for and submit comments on Docket No. FWS– R3–ES–2021–0126. • U.S. mail: Submit comments to Public Comments Processing, Attn: SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Docket No. FWS–R3–ES–2021–0126; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB/3W; Falls Church, VA 22041–3803. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shauna Marquardt, Deputy Field Supervisor, Minnesota-Wisconsin Ecological Services Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4101 American Boulevard East, Bloomington, MN 55425; telephone: 573–239–3293; or Andrew Horton, Regional HCP Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service–Interior Region 3, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437–1458; telephone: 612–713–5337. Individuals who are hearing impaired or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 for TTY assistance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from Aitkin and Carlton Counties (applicants) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), for a proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) for the northern long-eared bat, little brown bat, and tricolored bat. The applicants conduct habitat and forest management activities on countymanaged lands in Aitkin and Carlton Counties, Minnesota. The applicants have prepared an HCP that describes their continued habitat and forest management operations and measures that the applicants would implement to avoid, minimize, and mitigate incidental take of the covered species. The HCP proposes to create, enhance, and maintain more than one-third of county-managed forest lands as covered species’ habitat to offset impacts of habitat and forest management activities to the covered species. If approved, the ITP would be for a 25-year period and would authorize the incidental take of the following three species: northern long-eared bat (federally listed as threatened), little brown bat (currently under discretionary review), and tricolored bat (petitioned for listing under the ESA). The applicant has prepared an HCP that describes the actions and measures that the applicants would implement to avoid, minimize, and mitigate incidental take of the three species. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant’s proposed HCP, and on the Service’s preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ‘‘low-effect,’’ categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). To make E:\FR\FM\10DEN1.SGM 10DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 235 (Friday, December 10, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70512-70514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26691]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2021-0051]


Identifying Recommendations To Support the Work of the 
Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families

AGENCY: Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Request for public input.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on behalf of the 
Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families (Task Force), 
is seeking comments from the public on recommendations for ways to 
minimize the separation of migrant parents and legal guardians and 
children entering the United States, consistent with the law. This 
input will help in the drafting of a report required by the Executive 
order titled ``Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the 
Reunification of Families.''

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 10, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS-
2021-0051, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Comments

[[Page 70513]]

submitted in any other manner, including emails or letters sent to Task 
Force officials, may not be reviewed by the Task Force. The Task Force 
cannot accept any comments that are hand delivered or couriered. In 
addition, the Task Force cannot accept comments contained on any form 
of digital media storage devices, such as CDs/DVDs and USB drives. Due 
to COVID-19, the Task Force is also not accepting mailed comments at 
this time. If you cannot submit your comment by using https://www.regulations.gov, please contact Samantha Deshommes, Chief, 
Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, 
by telephone at (240) 721-3000 for alternate instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Anderson, Director of Policy 
for the Family Reunification Task Force, U.S. Department of Homeland 
Security, (240) 721-3000 (this is not a toll-free number). Individuals 
with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone numbers 
above via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay 
Service at 1-877-889-5627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation

    Interested persons are invited to comment on this notice by 
submitting input using the method identified in the ADDRESSES section 
above.
    Instructions: All comments received may be posted without change to 
https://www.regulations.gov including any personal information 
provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to view comments, go to https://www.regulations.gov/.

II. Background

A. Executive Order 14011

    On February 2, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14011 
(E.O. 14011), Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the 
Reunification of Families, condemning the human tragedy that occurred 
when application of our immigration laws resulted in the separation of 
children from their parents or legal guardians (families), including 
through the use of the Zero-Tolerance Policy, and committing to protect 
family unity so that children entering the United States are not 
separated from their families, except in the most extreme circumstances 
when necessary for the safety and well-being of the child or when 
required by law.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 86 FR 8273 (published Feb. 5, 2021).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As early as February 2017, some Trump administration officials 
began discussing the separation of parents from their children at the 
U.S.-Mexico border. In the summer of 2017, in the El Paso, Texas Border 
Patrol Sector, there was an increase in the number of prosecutions for 
illegal entry which resulted in an increase in the number of family 
separations within that sector. On April 6, 2018, the Department of 
Justice (DOJ) formally announced the Zero-Tolerance Policy, which was 
implemented through a memorandum issued by then-Attorney General Jeff 
Sessions to all U.S. Attorney's Offices along the Southwest border. 
Under this policy, DOJ would prosecute all referrals of individuals for 
8 U.S.C. 1325 (unauthorized entry), to the extent practicable, even 
though it meant the separation of parents and children.
    On May 5, 2018, based on guidance from DHS, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) began to refer an increased number of individuals to 
DOJ for criminal prosecution for entering the United States without 
authorization, including parents who entered with their minor children. 
When parents were referred for criminal prosecution under 8 U.S.C. 
1325, they were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service 
for the duration of their criminal proceedings. Their accompanying 
children were then classified as unaccompanied children (UC) and 
therefore transferred to the care and custody of the U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement (HHS-ORR).
    On June 20, 2018, President Trump signed Executive Order 13841, 
Affording Congress an Opportunity to Address Family Separation, to 
maintain family unity during the pendency of immigration and criminal 
proceedings relating to 8 U.S.C. 1325 prosecutions for unauthorized 
entry, where appropriate and consistent with the law.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ 83 FR 29435 (published Jun. 25, 2018).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The separations of parents and children were challenged in federal 
court, and on June 26, 2018, a federal district court ordered the 
reunification of a certified class of parents with their children. The 
court later expanded the class to include parents who entered the 
United States with their child(ren) on or after July 1, 2017, were 
separated from their children, and whose children were not in HHS-ORR 
custody on June 26, 2018.
    The Department, including Task Force agency members, is involved in 
multiple active litigation cases involving separated families, but that 
litigation is ongoing and outside the scope of this request for public 
information.

B. Scope and Functions of the Task Force

    E.O. 14011 established the Task Force, which focuses on family 
separations that occurred at the U.S.-Mexico border between January 20, 
2017, and January 20, 2021, in connection with the operation of the 
Zero-Tolerance Policy. E.O. 14011 defines ``Zero-Tolerance Policy'' as 
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. E.O. 14011 identifies the Task Force's key 
functions as the following:
     Identify all children who were separated by DHS from their 
families at the United States-Mexico border between January 20, 2017 
and January 20, 2021 as a result of the Zero-Tolerance Policy;
     Facilitate and enable the reunification of those children 
with their families;
     Provide recommendations regarding the provision of 
additional services and support for the children and their families, 
including behavioral health services with a focus on trauma-informed 
care; and
     Provide regular reports to the President, including: An 
initial progress report no later than 120 days after the date of E.O. 
14011; interim progress reports every 60 days thereafter; 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 E.O. 
14011; and a final report when the Task Force has completed its 
mission.
    The Task Force leverages the authorities and functions of the 
Secretaries of Homeland Security, State, and Health and Human Services, 
the Attorney General, and other key government officials to complete 
the functions ordered in E.O. 14011.

C. Recommendations Report

    Section 4(c)(iii) of E.O. 14011 requires the Task Force to provide 
the President ``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.''

[[Page 70514]]

III. Request for Input

    E.O. 14011 directs the Task Force to coordinate its work, 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. 
Based on this directive, the Task Force is soliciting input and 
recommendations to minimize the separation of migrant parents and legal 
guardians and children entering the United States, consistent with law. 
The Task Force welcomes thoughts on the causes of family separations 
that occurred incident to the Zero-Tolerance policy as well as 
policies, procedures, or regulations that may minimize the separation 
of migrant parents and legal guardians and children entering the United 
States, consistent with law. This is not an exhaustive list of the 
types of comments the Task Force is interested in receiving on this 
important topic and the public may provide additional thoughts and 
concerns.

IV. Review of Public Feedback

    The Task Force will use the public's feedback to help draft 
recommendations to the President on how to prevent the Federal 
Government in the future form separating children from their parents 
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, as directed in E.O. 14011. Public input provided in response to 
this notice does not bind the Task Force to any further actions, to 
include publishing a formal response or agreement to initiate a 
recommended change. The Task Force will consider the feedback and 
include the feedback in its report at its sole discretion.

Disclaimer

    This notice is for information and planning purposes only and 
should not be construed as a solicitation or as creating or resulting 
in any obligation on the part of DHS.

    Dated: December 6, 2021.
Michelle Bran[eacute],
Executive Director, Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of 
Families, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2021-26691 Filed 12-9-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-9B-P
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