83 FR 8689 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 40 (February 28, 2018)

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security is giving notice that it proposes to rescind the following Department Privacy Act systems of records notices: Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-014 Electronic Immigration System-1 Temporary Accounts and Draft Benefit Requests System of Records; Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-015 Electronic Immigration System- 2 Account and Case Management System of Records; and Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-016 Electronic Immigration System-3 Automated Background Functions System of Records. The records covered by these systems of records notices will now be covered by existing DHS systems of records notices. DHS will continue to collect and maintain records regarding individuals who apply for immigration benefits using the online electronic filing system. Rescinding these three DHS systems of records notices mentioned above will have no adverse impacts on individuals, but will promote the overall streamlining and management of Department of Homeland Security Privacy Act record systems.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8689-8690]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04006]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2017-0070]


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Privacy Office, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Rescindment of a System of Records Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of 
Homeland Security is giving notice that it proposes to rescind the 
following Department Privacy Act systems of records notices: Department 
of Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-014 
Electronic Immigration System-1 Temporary Accounts and Draft Benefit 
Requests System of Records; Department of Homeland Security/U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services-015 Electronic Immigration System-
2 Account and Case Management System of Records; and Department of 
Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services-016 
Electronic Immigration System-3 Automated Background Functions System 
of Records. The records covered by these systems of records notices 
will now be covered by existing DHS systems of records notices.
    DHS will continue to collect and maintain records regarding 
individuals who apply for immigration benefits using the online 
electronic filing system. Rescinding these three DHS systems of records 
notices mentioned above will have no adverse impacts on individuals, 
but will promote the overall streamlining and management of Department 
of Homeland Security Privacy Act record systems.

DATES: These changes will take effect upon publication.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS-
2017-0070, by one of the following methods:
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-343-4010.
     Mail: Philip S. Kaplan, Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy 
Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528-0655.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number DHS-2017-0070. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personally 
identifiable information (PII) provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general questions, please contact: 
Donald K. Hawkins, [email protected], (202) 272-8030, 
Privacy Officer, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 20 
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20529. For privacy questions, 
please contact: Philip S. Kaplan, [email protected], (202) 343-
1717, Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Office, Department of Homeland 
Security, Washington, DC 20528-0655.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy 
Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, and as part of its ongoing integration and 
management efforts, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is 
rescinding the following systems of records notices: DHS/U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)-014 Electronic Immigration 
System-1 Temporary Accounts and Draft Benefit Requests System of 
Records, 78 FR 20680 (April 5, 2013); DHS/USCIS-015 Electronic 
Immigration System-2 Account and Case Management System of Records, 78 
FR 20673 (April 5, 2013), and DHS/USCIS-016 Electronic Immigration 
System-3 Automated Background Functions System of Records, 76 FR 70735 
(November 15, 2011).
    USCIS created the online electronic immigration system (USCIS ELIS) 
to allow individuals submitting U.S. immigration and naturalization 
requests to create online accounts and submit certain petitions, 
applications, and requests for processing and adjudication. The 
collection, use, maintenance, and dissemination of PII was divided into 
three distinct processes in the online electronic

[[Page 8690]]

system: (1) Temporary Account and Draft Benefit Requests; (2) Account 
and Case Management; and (3) Automated Background Functions. Each 
process was covered under a separate SORN.
    DHS/USCIS-014 covered the collection, use, maintenance, and 
dissemination of information derived from an individual who created a 
temporary account so that he or she may submit an application, 
petition, or request through USCIS ELIS for the first time. Information 
collected under DHS/USCIS-014 is now covered by Department of Homeland 
Security/ALL-037 E-Authentication Records System of Records (DHS/ALL-
037), 79 FR 46857 (August 11, 2014). DHS/ALL-037 covers the collection 
of information used to authenticate an individual's identity for the 
purpose of creating a required system credential to electronically 
access a DHS program or application.
    DHS/USCIS-015 covered the processing and tracking of all actions 
related to a submitted and pending immigration request, including 
scheduling of biometrics appointments and interviews, requesting 
evidence or additional information, and issuing notices, including the 
final decision, as well as a proof of an approved benefit, if any. The 
case management, case processing, record receipt and maintenance from 
DHS/USCIS-015 is now covered by the Department of Homeland Security/
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection-001 Alien File, Index, 
and National File Tracking System of Records (DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001), 
82 FR 43556 (September 18, 2017). DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001 covers 
information relating to the adjudication of benefits, investigation of 
immigration violations, and enforcement actions in Alien Files (A-
Files). DHS creates a file for each individual containing that 
individual's immigration records. The A-file may be in paper or 
electronic format, or a combination of both. USCIS ELIS serves as an 
electronic repository to store and manage electronic records.
    The case management functions of DHS/USCIS-015 are also covered by 
Department of Homeland Security/United States Citizenship and 
Immigration Services-007 Benefits Information System (USCIS-007), 81 FR 
72069 (October 19, 2016), which covers the collection, use, 
maintenance, dissemination, and storage of immigration request 
information, including case processing and decisional data not included 
in the A-File SORN. These records assist in the processing of 
immigration requests from the time USCIS collects the information from 
the requestor until a final decision is recorded in the relevant case 
management system.
    The initial purpose of DHS/USCIS-016 was to assist USCIS personnel 
in detecting duplicate and related accounts; identifying potential 
national security concerns, criminality, and fraud; as well as ensuring 
that serious or complex cases received additional scrutiny. USCIS never 
collected information that would be covered by DHS/USCIS-016. Instead, 
all information collected, maintained, used, and disseminated in 
support of USCIS' efforts to strengthen the integrity of the nation's 
legal immigration system and to ensure that immigration benefits are 
not granted to individuals who may pose a threat to national security 
and/or public safety are covered under the DHS/USCIS-006 Fraud 
Detection and National Security Records (FDNS), 77 FR 47411, (August 8, 
2012).
    As such, DHS will continue to collect and maintain records 
regarding immigration requests, and will rely upon the existing DHS and 
USCIS systems of records notices for coverage pursuant to the Privacy 
Act: DHS/ALL-037, 79 FR 46857 (August 11, 2014); DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001, 
82 FR 43556 (September 18, 2017), DHS/USCIS-006 FDNS, 77 FR 47411 
(August 8, 2012), and DHS/USCIS-007, 81 FR 72069 (October 19, 2016).
    Rescinding DHS/USCIS-014, DHS/USCIS-015, and DHS/USCIS-016 will 
have no adverse impacts on individuals, but will promote the overall 
streamlining and management of DHS Privacy Act record systems.
SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER
    DHS/USCIS-014 Electronic Immigration System-1 Temporary Accounts 
and Draft Benefit Requests System of Records; DHS/USCIS-015 Electronic 
Immigration System-2 Account and Case Management System of Records; and 
DHS/USCIS-016 Electronic Immigration System-3 Automated Background 
Functions System of Records.

HISTORY:
    DHS/USCIS-014 Electronic Immigration System-1 Temporary Accounts 
and Draft Benefit Requests System of Records, 78 FR 20680 (April 5, 
2013); DHS/USCIS Electronic-015 Electronic Immigration System-2 Account 
and Case Management System of Records, 78 FR 20673 (April 5, 2013); and 
DHS/USCIS-016 Electronic Immigration System-3 Automated Background 
Functions System of Records, 76 FR 70735 (November 15, 2011).

Philip S. Kaplan,
Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2018-04006 Filed 2-27-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-97-P