Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Case Assistance Form, DHS Form 7001, 1601-0004, 12171-12174 [2025-03914]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 49 (Friday, March 14, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12171-12174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-03914]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket Number DHS-2025-0005]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Case 
Assistance Form, DHS Form 7001, 1601-0004

AGENCY: Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

ACTION: 60-Day notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security will submit the following 
Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until May 13, 2025. 
This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.1

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number Docket 
#DHS-2025-0005, at:
    [cir] Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Please follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number Docket #DHS-2025-0005. 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 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of the Citizenship and 
Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) was created under 
section 452 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-296) to: 
(1) assist individuals and employers in resolving problems with U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); (2) to identify areas in 
which individuals and employers have problems in dealing with USCIS; 
and (3) to the extent possible, propose changes in the administrative 
practices of USCIS to mitigate problems. This form is used by 
individuals and employers who are experiencing problems with USCIS 
during the processing of immigration benefits. Authorities that support 
this information collection include:
     Section 452 of the Homeland Security Act provides the 
legal authority for the CIS Ombudsman.
    The information is collected on the DHS Form 7001, Case Assistance 
Request, which is available electronically or via pdf on the CIS 
Ombudsman website. Individuals and employers (or their legal 
representatives) experiencing problems with USCIS may submit a DHS Form 
7001. The information contained on the form allows the CIS Ombudsman to 
identify the problem encountered by individuals and employers seeking 
immigration benefits and inquire with USCIS to resolve the issue. In 
the past, this information has been used to understand the issue the 
customer is trying to resolve, to obtain information needed to research 
USCIS systems, and to relay USCIS communications to the customer. This 
information has been collected on the electronic or paper DHS Form 7001 
for over a decade. The electronic version is automatically integrated 
into the CIS Ombudsman's Case Assistance Analytics and Data Integration 
(CAADI) case management system; paper versions received by email, mail 
or fax are ingested manually and saved electronically in the case 
management system.
    (a) Proposed form enhancements:
    To enhance the form's usability:
     Limit each request to one immigration issue.
     Remove questions customers did not historically answer 
correctly.
     Enhance the instructions in each form section.
     Re-order form sections (see below) to reflect the 
customer's perspective.
    The revised form will include these re-ordered, merged, and re-
named sections. Delete former Section 4, Form Type.

1. Move Section 10 to 1: Person Completing the Form
    a. Ask who is completing the form upfront so that attorneys can 
enter their information first and upload the required Form G-28 in 
Section 9.
2. Move Sections 5 & 6 to 2: Name of Applicant or Petitioner & Contact 
Information
3. Rename Section 3: Application or Petition Filed with USCIS
4. Move Section 7 to 4 and rename: Biographical Information for 
Applicant or Petitioner
5. Delete old Section 4
6. Move Section 11 to 5: Beneficiary Information
    a. Expanded to include more than just employment-based petitions
7. Move Section 2 to 6: Reason for Requesting Case Assistance
    a. Now limited to one reason/issue
8. Merge Sections 1A & B, Actions Taken with USCIS and move to Section 
7
9. Section 8: Supporting Documentation
    a. Now cross-referenced with new Section 1.
10. Move Section 12 to 9: How Did You Learn About Our Case Assistance 
Services?
11. Merge Sections 9 and 10 into new Section 10: Consent
    a. A new single consent section with a pop-up signature based on 
role, to include third parties.

    The CIS Ombudsman collects and processes requests for case 
assistance, the majority of which are submitted electronically through 
the DHS website. This form provides the most efficient means for 
collecting and processing the required data. The electronic form feeds 
the information collected directly into CAADI. Per Paperwork Reduction 
Act (PRA) requirements, a fillable PDF version is also available on the 
website and may be emailed or printed and mailed or faxed to the CIS 
Ombudsman. The information on the paper forms are manually entered and 
then scanned into the CAADI system and then destroyed. Using the paper 
method may result in delays due to mail delivery and intake processing. 
Once approved, the online and PDF versions of the new form will be 
posted on the CIS Ombudsman's website at https://www.dhs.gov/case-assistance. The paper form remains available because some individuals 
are unable to access or lack the skill to use

[[Page 12172]]

the electronic version of the DHS Form 7001. The CIS Ombudsman has 
enhanced completion of the DHS Form 7001 on mobile devices to further 
reduce paper use.

Burden Reduction Initiatives in 2024

    (a) See Section 2 for proposed form enhancements.
    (b) New Format for Hard Copy Version: Once the renewed form is 
approved, the CIS Ombudsman will roll out a redesigned and updated hard 
copy version of the form in PDF format for both ease of use and 
compliance with the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act.
    (c) New Foreign Language Capabilities: The form must be submitted 
in English, but it will be translated into the following five most 
frequently requested languages to make it easier for immigrants from 
these countries to complete the form and instructions. The CIS 
Ombudsman also initiated translation and interpretation services for 
customers with limited English proficiency in October 2024.
    (d) New Online Portal: The CIS Ombudsman launched a new web portal 
to provide better customer service while also saving staff time. 
Currently, customers who have submitted the Form 7001 call or email the 
CIS Ombudsman to check their case status, and where applicable, the CIS 
Ombudsman emails customers to request additional documents needed to 
process the request. The new web portal provides customers with an 
online self-service tool, enabling staff to focus on more complex 
customer inquiries. Customers can access the new web portal via a link 
on the online Form 7001 web page. The web portal then shares data with 
CAADI to provide two functions: (1) the Online Case Status Check 
functionality allows individuals and employers to check the current 
status of their case online; and (2) the Online Document Upload 
functionality allows individuals and employers to submit additional 
documentation for a previously submitted case. Users now have the 
ability to upload on-demand as well as in response to email requests 
initiated by the CIS Ombudsman. Case assistance request number and 
email address are required for submission, and a confirmation email is 
sent after document upload is successful. Customers do not have to 
create an account or login but are required to provide their case 
assistance request number, which was provided in their submission 
confirmation email, and their email address. The email address is 
needed to verify the identity of the requestor.
    a. What's new in 2024 for the customer:
    b. Before you submit: You will see a simpler, cleaner online DHS 
Form 7001, Request for Case Assistance page with an easy link to our 
Tips for Submitting a Case Assistance Request.
    i. The tips address specific situations like signing on behalf of 
clients and requests involving multiple form types or family members.
    c. While you complete the form: Instead of a series of accordion 
sections, you will see an interactive form with these new features:
    i. A progress bar to help you see how much of the form you have 
completed.
    ii. Sections that adapt the questions based on your answers to help 
you know what fields to complete.
    iii. Alerts in each section that tell you if you are missing 
information.
    iv. A clearer view of the forms and/or beneficiaries you have 
already added.
    v. A screen for reviewing and editing your answers before 
submitting.
    vi. Your CIS Ombudsman Request Number appearing on the confirmation 
page after you submit the form.
    d. After you submit: Use these two new features:
    i. Upload Requested Documents (after submitting your request): If 
you experience problems uploading documents when you submit DHS Form 
7001 or if you need to add more documents afterwards, you can use this 
tab to upload documents.
    ii. Check the Status of Your Request: You can use this tab to track 
the status of your case assistance request. You will also see an 
overview of the different steps your request goes through as we work on 
it.
    (e) Usability Test: The CIS Ombudsman also completed a usability 
test on the form.
    a. What was the purpose of the UX? To identify any pain points in 
completing the online form, both on a computer and a mobile phone.
    b. How many participants? Six: 3 were familiar with the form and 3 
were not.
    c. Here is a list of customer findings and recommended form fixes 
by section:
    (a) General Observations:
    1. Average completion time for all six participants was 50 minutes. 
One completed the form in 20 minutes, while it took others over an hour 
to complete.
    2. Some instructions are placed after the field requesting the 
related information.
    a. For example, in Section 1A customers are asked to upload 
supporting documents but the instructions and functionality are in 
Section 8.
    3. Some people wondered if they could go back and edit their data.
    a. FIX: Add a note to the General Instructions that you can make 
edits at the end before submitting the form.
    (b) General Instructions:
    1. None of the participants opened and read the instructions.
    a. FIX: Enhance the instructions within each section of the form.
    (c) Section 1A--Actions Taken:
    1. When we ask if they've already contacted USCIS, some did not 
understand that we are asking whether they used USCIS' customer service 
options.
    a. FIX: suggest we make this very clear in our public-facing 
materials and engagements.
    2. Some wanted to enter their complete history rather than focusing 
on the past 60-90 days as we want them to.
    a. FIX: Instructions should emphasize we want their most RECENT 
contact date with USCIS and why we are asking.
    3. Some wanted to tell whole life story in the small comment box 
about actions taken because they didn't read question carefully--and 
then later wanted to go back.
    a. FIX: Recommend combining 1A and 1B.
    4. Instructions above box say to attach documents without stating 
how to do so.
    a. FIX: Add text on where and how to upload documents.
    (d) Section 1B--Other Actions: Recommendation is to merge Sections 
1A & B.
    1. Can we delete Option 1: Contacted a U.S. government department 
or agency for assistance. People may assume it refers to USCIS.
    2. Option 2: Congressional inquiry, ``Response Received, Yes or 
No?''--do we want to know if they received a response to the 
congressional inquiry or if Congress received a response to their 
inquiry to USCIS?
    a. FIX: add text to state we want the congressional response sent 
to the individual.
    (e) Section 2--Reasons for Request:
    1. We start with what actions did you take; the intent was to weed 
out people whose issues weren't ripe for a request for case assistance. 
But from their perspective, they want to tell us their problem and ask 
for our help and that's what we should let them do first.
    a. FIX: Recommend moving this section before Section 1; see #3 
below.
    2. Checkbox comments: use plain language, shorten text, and 
alphabetize the list.
    a. FIX: Edit the master redlined form accordingly.

[[Page 12173]]

    3. Some said they already provided an explanation of their issue in 
section 1a, then retyped it here.
    a. FIX: Reduce to one explanation box and emphasis that we need to 
know what happened when they contacted USCIS.
    (f) Section 3--Applications/Petitions Filed:
    1. For Form I-90, sub-options are confusing.
    a. FIX: Do we need to know these things?
    1. 10-year renewal.
    2. initial issue or replacement.
    2. Unable to cut and paste receipt number, even w/o dashes.
    a. FIX: Ask developers if possible.
    3. Some were confused about what is meant by ``Primary''; others 
were confused about which form to submit.
    a. FIX: Should we reformat this section to make it simpler? Options 
include:
    1. Put the instructions at the top.
    1. Check the ``Primary'' box next to the USCIS receipt number for 
which you seek assistance.
    2. Receipt date/Filing date need to be clarified; language on Form 
797 varies.
    4. Recommend moving the view that shows that you submitted a form 
up at the top rather than below because folks thought it didn't save 
and started to put it in again.
    a. FIX: Clarify instructions: after you SAVE, scroll down, and 
click on NEXT.
    (g) Section 4--Type of Benefit: Recommendation is to delete this 
section.
    (h) Section 5--Applicant Name:
    1. Move Applicant Name to the top of the form with one form per 
person.
    2. Confusion around selecting individual or organization. Do we 
want the individual's contact info or their attorney's?
    a. FIX: Make it clear we will not contact a represented individual 
directly.
    3. One participant said completing this section and #6 slows them 
down because it is not easy to cut and paste info from other sources 
into the form.
    a. FIX: Ask developers if possible.
    (i) Section 6--Contact Information:
    1. Again, confusion about whose information to enter.
    a. FIX: add instructions at the top and refer to Section 5.
    b. The PDF version [with CX revisions] includes these instructions:
    1. Provide contact information for the individual (applicant/
petitioner) or employer encountering difficulties with USCIS.
    2. If you provide a legal representative's contact information 
instead of the individual or employer's contact information you must 
submit the Notice of Entry of Appearance (Form G-28) that you already 
have submitted to USCIS for the application/petition for which you seek 
our assistance. Full legal representative contact information can be 
added in Section 10 of this form.
    2. Almost all participants were confused about email vs. snail mail 
options.
    a. FIX: Box language has been adjusted as of 9/20/24.
    3. Adding USPS address verification would be useful.
    a. FIX: Added USPS address verification code in November 2024.
    (j) Section 7--Identification:
    1. Unable to cut and paste in the A-Number.
    a. FIX: Ask developers if possible.
    (k) Section 8--Supporting Documents:
    1. First mention of G-28; mention earlier in the form?
    a. FIX: Ask if submitter is an attorney, congressional rep, or DSO 
up front. If so, ask to upload appropriate form.
    2. Suggest moving instructions in footer to top of section: file 
size/name/type.
    a. Also add this information to the General Instructions.
    3. Some had difficulty uploading documents, encountering either a 
delay or a blank screen.
    a. There is a virus scan ``pending'' message.
    (l) Section 11--Beneficiary Information:
    1. Suggest delete this section if not useful or only make it appear 
for I-129 petitioners, and if can be just for H-2A/H-2B, even better.
    2. If retained, add an N/A option.
    When we last revised Form 7001, for the first time we added an 
addendum to allow certain petitioning employers to include beneficiary 
employee information that is needed for the CIS Ombudsman to inquire 
with USCIS. In the past, the CIS Ombudsman did not have a designated 
place to collect this beneficiary employee information and as a result, 
this caused delays in seeking assistance because the CIS Ombudsman had 
to reach out to petitioning employers for additional information.
    If this information is not collected, the CIS Ombudsman will not be 
able to assist individuals and employers experiencing problems who 
request our assistance during the processing of an immigration benefit 
with USCIS.
    The CIS Ombudsman follows fundamental ombudsman principles, such as 
confidentiality, neutrality, and independence while undertaking its 
statutory mission. In addition:
    (a) Section 1367 confidentiality and prohibited source provisions 
prohibit employees of DHS, Department of State, or Department of 
Justice from permitting the use or disclosure of any information 
relating to an individual for a pending or approved application or 
petition for victim-based immigration benefits to anyone other than a 
sworn officer or employee of these Departments for legitimate agency 
purposes, unless one of several exceptions apply.
    Section 1367 is flagged for applicable customers in their CAADI 
case record. It can be set by the analyst but is also triggered by the 
specific form types. We follow USCIS procedures regarding confidential 
cases.
    (b) Pursuant to the Privacy Impact Assessment for CAADI, any risk 
that information in the CAADI system may be accessed by individuals 
without the proper clearances and without a need to know is mitigated 
as follows: (1) CIS Ombudsman personnel receive annual privacy training 
and introductory training on CAADI before they are given an account 
name and password, and specialized access and security control training 
as a prerequisite for authorization to use the system; and (2) all 
staff are able to see information on any case, but the ability to edit 
information is restricted through user permissions and standard DHS 
rules of behavior.
    The time estimate to complete the current form was increased from 
30 to 50 minutes based on the customer usability study. However, the 
steps we will and have taken to reduce completion time using the new 
form are summarized in the responses to Questions 2 and 3.
    The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in 
comments which:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.

[[Page 12174]]

Analysis

    Agency: Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
    Title: Request for Case Assistance Form.
    OMB Number: 1601-0004.
    Frequency: On Occasion.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Number of Respondents: 23,591.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: 50 mins.
    Total Burden Hours: 19,659.

Robert Dorr,
Executive Director, Business Management Directorate.
[FR Doc. 2025-03914 Filed 3-13-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9112-FL-P