[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 27, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18299]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: July 27, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 2038]
Privacy Act of 1974; Creation of Two New Systems of Records
Notice is hereby given that the Department of State proposes to
create two new systems of records, STATE-59 and STATE-60, pursuant to
the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C.
552a(r)) and the Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-130,
Appendix I. The Department's report was filed with the Office of
Management and Budget on July 11, 1994.
These systems principally support the Bureau of Population,
Refugees, and Migration's role in the processing of applicants for the
U.S. refugee program and the initial reception and placement in the
United States of those who are selected. The Refugee Case Records
contain information about applicants for the United States refugee
program. The Refugee Data Center Processing Records contain information
on applicants for the U.S. refugee program that is used by the
Immigration and Naturalization Service to determine their eligibility
for the U.S. refugee program. The Refugee Data Center Processing
Records contain information on applicants for the U.S. refugee program
which is used in the initial reception and placement of persons
admitted to the U.S. as refugees and to assist in the collection of
refugee travel loans.
Any persons interested in commenting on these proposed systems of
records may do so by submitting comments in writing to Margaret P.
Grafeld, Chief, Privacy, Plans, and Appeals Division, Office of Freedom
of Information, Privacy and Classification Review, Room 1239,
Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20520-1239.
These systems of records will be effective 40 days from the date of
publication, (September 6, 1994), unless we receive comments which will
result in a contrary determination. The proposed systems, ``Refugee
Case Records, STATE-59'' and ``The Refugee Data Center Processing
Records, STATE-60'' will read as set forth below.
Dated: July 11, 1994.
Patrick R. Kennedy,
Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Administration.
STATE-59
Refugee Case Records.
Unclassified.
Refugee processing posts, i.e., designated U.S. embassies, U.S.
consulates general and consulates, and offices of voluntary agencies
(i.e., voluntary agencies that assist in the processing of applicants
under cooperative agreements with the Department of State), and the
Washington Processing Center (for Moscow), 1401 Wilson Blvd.,
Arlington, VA 22209. Locations may change at the discretion and
depending on the needs of the U.S. Department of State. (A list of
refugee processing posts is available from the Bureau of Population,
Refugees, and Migration, Room 5824, Department of State, Washington, DC
20520.)
Individuals who have applied for admission to the United States
under the U.S. refugee program, including individuals who seek and may
be denied admission as refugees but are ultimately approved for
admission as non-refugees (e.g., immigrants or parolees).
8 U.S.C. 1522(b) (Authorization for Programs for Initial Domestic
Resettlement of and Assistance to Refugees); 22 U.S.C. 1157 (Annual
Admission of Refugees and Admission of Emergency Situation Refugees);
Letter of President Carter of January 13, 1981, 17 Weekly Compilation
of Presidential Documents, Pg. 2880 (Refugee Resettlement Grants
Program).
Registration logbooks/cards; refugee applications and related forms
and interview worksheets; letters of approval/denial; fingerprint
cards; biographic and demographic information such as family trees and
documents of identity; affidavits of relationship; sponsorship
assurance forms; medical examination and immunization reports;
communications from U.S. embassies, U.S. consulates general and
consulates, voluntary agencies, U.S. Government agencies, international
organizations, foreign missions, members of Congress, relatives and
other interested parties; and International Organization for Migration
(IOM) loan notes.
The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the Immigration
and Naturalization Service (INS), overseas voluntary agencies'
employees and contractors; participating domestic voluntary agencies;
international organizations that assist applicants; consumer reporting
agencies (31 U.S.C. 7311(f)) and debt collection contractors (31 U.S.C.
3718); members of Congress; and other federal, state, and local
government agencies having statutory or other lawful authority will use
this information to:
(1) Provide necessary background information to the INS and the
Department of State refugee and consular officers to determine the
eligibility of an applicant for admission to the United States;
(2) Provide selected information to participating voluntary
agencies to ensure appropriate resettlement in the United States;
(3) Collect case status and processing statistics concerning such
individuals; and
(4) Assist in the collection of indebtedness owed to IOM and/or the
United States Government. Also see ``Routine Uses'' paragraph of the
Prefatory Statement published in the Federal Register (42 FR 49699,
September 27, 1977).
Electronic media; hard copy; microfilm.
By case number, alien number, and applicant name.
All records containing personal information are maintained in
secured file cabinets or in restricted areas, access to which is
limited to authorized personnel of the Department of State, voluntary
agencies, INS and its contractors, and others specifically authorized
under the ``Guidelines for the Treatment of Refugee Records Maintained
by Joint Voluntary Agencies.'' Where the records are computerized,
access it under the direct supervision of the system manager.
Retention of these records varies depending upon the specific kind
of record involved. Files of closed and unprocessed cases are retired
or destroyed in accordance with published record schedules of the
Department of State and as approved by the National Archives and
Records Administration. Files of approved refugees and denied
applicants are transferred to the INS, and subject to its disposition
schedules. More specified information may be obtained by writing to the
Director, Office of Freedom of Information, Privacy, and Classification
Review, Room 1239, Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20520-1239.
Executive Director, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration,
SA-1, Room 1251, Department of State, 2401 E Street NW., Washington, DC
20522. At specific overseas locations, the on-site system manager may
be the Refugee Coordinator, the Consular Officer responsible for
refugee processing or the voluntary agency representative.
Individuals who have reason to believe the Department of State
might have Refugee Case Records pertaining to themselves should write
to the Director, Office of Freedom of Information, Privacy and
Classification Review, Room 1239, Department of State, 2201 C Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20520-1239. The individual must specify that he/she
wishes the Refugee Case Records of a specific processing post to be
checked. At a minimum, the individual must include: Name, date and
place of birth, the approximate date of arrival in the U.S., his/her
INS ``A'' number; current mailing address and zip code, and signature.
Individuals who wish to gain access to or amend records pertaining
to themselves should write to the Director, Office of Freedom of
Information, Privacy and Classification Review (address above).
These records contain information obtained directly from the
individual who is the subject of these records and relatives, sponsors,
members of Congress, U.S. Government agencies, voluntary agencies,
international organizations, and local sources at overseas posts.
None.
STATE--60
Refugee Data Center Processing Records.
Unclassified.
Refugee Data Center, 200 Park Avenue South, Room 801, New York, NY
10003. (The Refugee Data Center is a project of the International
Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) authorized under a cooperative
agreement with the Department of State.)
Individuals who have been approved for admission to the United
States under the U.S. refugee program. Also included may be certain
individuals who sought and were denied admission as refugees but were
ultimately approved for admission as non-refugees (e.g., immigrants or
parolees).
8 U.S.C. 1522(b) (Authorization for Programs for Initial Domestic
Resettlement of and Assistance to Refugees); 22 U.S.C. 1157 (Annual
Admission of Refugees and Admission of Emergency Situation Refugees);
Letter of President Carter of January 13, 1981, 17 Weekly Compilation
of Presidential Documents, Pg. 2880 (Refugee Resettlement Grants
Program).
Refugee biographic registration forms; interest cards; sponsorship
assurance forms; change of status forms; International Organization for
Migration (IOM) arrival information; and communications from U.S.
embassies, U.S. consulates general consulates; voluntary agencies, U.S.
Government agencies, international organizations, foreign missions,
members of Congress, relatives and other interested parties.
The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; Refugee Data
Center employees and contractors; participating voluntary agencies and
international organizations that assist applicants; consumer reporting
agencies (31 U.S.C. 7311(f)) and debt collection contractors (31 U.S.C.
3718); members of Congress; private individuals or companies requesting
general statistical data on applicants; relatives seeking information
about a particular applicant; and other federal, state, and local
government agencies having statutory or other lawful authority will use
or maintain such information to:
(1) Locate relatives or friends of applicants as potential backup
sponsors;
(2) Track an applicant from the time of Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) approval until arrival in the United
States;
(3) Achieve initial reception and placement of individuals admitted
into the U.S. as refugees;
(4) Collect statistics concerning applicants; and
(5) Assist in the collection of indebtedness owed to IOM and/or the
United States Government.
Also see ``Routine Uses'' paragraph of the Prefatory Statement
published in the Federal Register (42 FR 49699, September 27, 1977).
Electronic media; hard copy; microfilm.
By case number, alien number, and applicant name.
All records containing personal information are maintained in
secured file cabinets or in restricted areas access to which is limited
to Department of State personnel and contractors; Refugee Data Center
personnel and contractors; participating voluntary agency
representatives; and others specifically authorized under the
``Guidelines for the Treatment of Refugee Records Maintained by Refugee
Data Center'' which are incorporated in the cooperative agreement
between the International Catholic Migration Commission and the
Department of State. Access to computerized files is password-protected
and under the direct supervision of the system manager. The system
manager has the capability of printing audit trails of access from the
computer media, thereby permitting regular and ad hoc monitoring of
computer usage.
Retention of these records varies depending upon the specific kind
of record involved. They are retired or destroyed in accordance with
published record schedules of the Department of State and as approved
by the National Archives and Records Administration. More specified
information may be obtained by writing to the Director, Office of
Freedom of Information, Privacy, and Classification Review, Room 1239,
Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20520-1239.
Executive Director, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration,
SA-1, Room 1251, Department of State, 2401 E Street NW., Washington, DC
20522. The on-site system manager is the Systems Manager, Refugee Data
Center, 200 Park Avenue South, Room 801, New York, NY 10003.
Individuals who have reason to believe that the Refugee Data Center
might have records pertaining to themselves should write to the
Director, Office of Freedom of Information, Privacy and Classification
Review, Room 1239, Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington,
DC 20520-1239. The individual must specify that he/she wishes the
records of the Refugee Data Center to be checked. At a minimum, the
individual must include: Name, date and place of birth, the approximate
date of arrival in the U.S., his/her INS ``A'' number; current mailing
address and zip code, and signature.
Individuals who wish to gain access to or amend records pertaining
to themselves should write to the Director, Office of Freedom of
Information, Privacy and Classification Review (address above).
These records contain information obtained directly from individual
who is the subject of these records and relatives, sponsors, members of
Congress, U.S. Government agencies, voluntary agencies, international
organizations, and local sources at overseas posts.
None.
[FR Doc. 94-18299 Filed 7-26-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-24-M