[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 53 (Thursday, March 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13433-13434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-7162]


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

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Immigration and Naturalization Service
[INS No. 1880-97]


Notice of Implementation of the Illegal Immigration Reform and 
Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 Pertaining to Female Genital 
Mutilation (FGM)

AGENCY: Immigration and Naturalization Service, Justice.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces how the Immigration and Naturalization 
Service (Service) intends to implement the Illegal Immigration Reform 
and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA), as it pertains to 
the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) which is carried out by 
members of certain cultural and religious groups within the United 
States. This is necessary to ensure that visa recipients, prior to or 
at the time of entry into the United States, are notified of the severe 
harm to the physical and psychological health of women and girls, 
caused by FGM, and of the potential legal consequences for performing 
FGM on a child or adult, or

[[Page 13434]]

by allowing FGM to be performed on a child, in the United States.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacquelyn Bednarz, Office of Programs, 
(202) 514-2764; Susan Houser, Office of the General Counsel, (202) 616-
0781; or Lorraine Eide, Office of Asylum, (202) 305-2663; Immigration 
and Naturalization Service, 425 I Street, NW; Room 6100, Washington, DC 
20536.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

What Are the Requirements of Section 644 of IIRIRA?

    Section 644 Of IIRIRA requires the Service, in cooperation with the 
Department of State, to make available for all aliens who are issued 
immigrant or nonimmigrant visas, prior to or at the time of entry into 
the United States, the following:
    1. Information on the severe harm to physical and psychological 
health caused by FGM, compiled and presented in a manner which is 
limited to the practice itself, and respectful to the cultural values 
of the societies in which such practice takes place, and
    2. Information concerning potential legal consequences in the 
United States for performing FGM, or allowing a child under one's care 
to be subject to FGM.
    Section 644 also provides that, in consultation with the Department 
of State, the Service shall identify those countries in which FGM is 
commonly practiced and, to the extent practicable, limit the provision 
of information to aliens from those countries.

How Will the Service Comply With Section 644 of IIRIRA?

    The Service, after consultation with the Department of State, shall 
comply with section 644 of IIRIRA by:
    1. Posting a notice containing the required information in all 
United States Embassies and consulates concerning FGM, and
    2. Providing a copy of the notice to each alien granted an 
immigrant or nonimmigrant visa in any of the those countries which have 
been identified by the Department of State as countries where FGM is 
prevalent, either countrywide or in particular ethnic subgroups. The 
United States Embassy or consulate in those countries will provide a 
copy of the notice to aliens at the time a visa is issued.

Which Countries Have Been Identified by the Department of State 
Where FGM is Prevalent?

    The following 28 countries have been identified by the Department 
of State as countries where FGM is prevalent, either countrywide, or in 
particular ethnic subgroups:
    Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote 
d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritria, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, 
Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, 
Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zaire 
(Congo).

In What Language Will the Notice Be Provided?

    The notice will be provided in English and in the official, or 
predominant, written language of the country where the United States 
Embassy or consulate is located.

What Information Will Be Contained in the Notice?

    The following is the text of the proposed notice, which was drafted 
by the Service in consultation with the Department of Justice's 
Criminal Division, the Department of State, and the Department of 
Health and Human Services:

What is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)?

    Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the removal or infibulation (or 
both) of the whole or part of the clitoris, labia minora, and labia 
majora. The procedure can include sewing the vagina almost completely 
closed after the genitals are removed (infibulation). The procedure is 
common in certain cultures among various ethnic groups and across many 
different religions.

What are the Health Problems Associated With FGM?

    The World Health Organization and other United Nations 
organizations, as well as the United States Government, recognize that 
FGM has very serious effects on the health of women and girls. 
Immediate complications of FGM include severe pain, shock, hemorrhage, 
urine retention, ulceration of the genital region, and injury to the 
adjacent tissue. Hemorrhage and infection can cause death.
    Long-term consequences of FGM include cysts and abscesses, keloid 
scar formation, damage to the urethra resulting in urinary 
incontinence, painful intercourse, and sexual dysfunction. The most 
extreme forms of FGM can cause infertility, and may also cause an 
increase in the risk of stillbirths and maternal deaths.
    Psychological consequences of FGM in childhood can include behavior 
disturbances and loss of trust and confidence in caregivers. As adults, 
these women may suffer feelings of incompleteness, anxiety, depression, 
chronic irritability, and frigidity, and may experience marital 
conflicts.

What Are the Legal Consequences of Performing FGM in the United States?

    The United States is among those countries that have made FGM 
illegal because of the dangerous health problems associated with it. In 
the United States, it is against the law to perform FGM on a person 
under the age of 18, unless the operation is medically necessary. There 
is no exception for performing FGM because of a belief that it is 
required as a matter of custom or ritual. A parent who knowingly allows 
FGM to be performed on his or her child could potentially be held 
criminally liable.

Will Victims of FGM Be Eligible for a Visa to Come to the United 
States?

    The fact that a person has been subjected to FGM will have no 
effect on the victim's eligibility for a visa to the United States.

Why is the United States Providing This FGM Notice?

    The United States Government is committed to working with local 
community organizations, both in the United States and in other 
countries, to help educate people about the serious detrimental effects 
that FGM has on women and girls.

    Dated: March 4, 1998.
Doris Meissner,
Commissioner, Immigration and Naturalization Service.
[FR Doc. 98-7162 Filed 3-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-10-M