Department of Homeland Security September 1, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to establish a new DHS system of records titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionDHS/CBP-022 Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) System of Records.'' At the same time, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(j) and (k), DHS proposes to claim certain exemptions for this system. At the same time, in accordance with Privacy Act of 1974, DHS proposes to claim certain exemptions for this system. This system of records will allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect and maintain records on nonimmigrant aliens who hold a passport that was issued by an identified country approved for inclusion in the EVUS program and have been issued a U.S. nonimmigrant visa of a designated category seeking to travel to the United States. The system of records will also cover records of other persons, including U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, whose name is provided to DHS as part of a nonimmigrant alien's EVUS enrollment. Requiring aliens holding passports of identified countries containing U.S. nonimmigrant visas of a designated category with multiple year validity will allow DHS/CBP to collect updated information. The system is used to ensure a visa holder's information remains current. The information is also used to separately determine whether any admissibility issues may need to be addressed outside the EVUS enrollment process by vetting the information against selected security and law enforcement databases at DHS, including the use of CBP's TECS (not an acronym) (DHS/CBP-011 U.S. Customs and Border Protection TECS, December 19, 2008, 73 FR 77778) and the Automated Targeting System (ATS) (DHS/CBP-006 Automated Targeting System, May 22, 2012, 77 FR 30297). In addition, ATS retains a copy of EVUS enrollment data to identify EVUS enrollees who may pose a security risk to the United States. The ATS maintains copies of key elements of certain databases in order to minimize the impact of processing searches on the operational systems and to act as a backup for certain operational systems. DHS may also vet EVUS enrollment information against security and law enforcement databases at other Federal agencies to enhance DHS's ability to determine whether the enrollee poses a security risk to the United States or, although addressed through a separate process, is admissible to the United States. The results of this vetting may inform DHS's assessment of whether the enrollee's travel poses a law enforcement or security risk and whether the proposed travel should be permitted. This newly established system will be included in the Department of Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.