[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 182 (Thursday, September 20, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 53673-53678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18526]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 182 / Thursday, September 20, 2007 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 53673]]



DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

8 CFR Parts 1003 and 1240

[Docket No. EOIR 125F; AG Order No. 2907-2007]
RIN 1125-AA27


Authorities Delegated to the Director of the Executive Office for 
Immigration Review, and the Chief Immigration Judge

AGENCY: Executive Office for Immigration Review, Department of Justice.

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: This rule revises the Attorney General's regulations relating 
to the delegation of authority to the Director of the Executive Office 
for Immigration Review (EOIR) and the Chief Immigration Judge with 
respect to the adjudicatory process. These rules are intended to 
improve the management of EOIR.

DATES: This rule is effective October 22, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Chapman, Acting General Counsel, 
Executive Office for Immigration Review, Office of the General Counsel, 
5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2600, Falls Church, VA 22041; telephone (703) 
305-0470.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 26, 2000, the Department of Justice (Department) 
published a proposed rule in the Federal Register at 65 FR 81434, to 
revise the Attorney General's delegation of management authority to 
officials of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). 
Changes proposed by that rule would add specific information to 8 CFR 
on the organization of EOIR and outline the respective authorities of 
EOIR's Director, the Chairman of the Board of Immigration Appeals, and 
the Chief Immigration Judge.
    On November 25, 2002, the President signed into law the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (HSA) creating the new Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS) and transferring the functions of the former Immigration 
and Naturalization Service (INS) to the DHS. Pub. L. 107-296, tit. IV, 
subtits. D, E, F, 116 Stat. 2135, 2192 (Nov. 25, 2002) (effective March 
1, 2003). The Attorney General retains the functions of the EOIR in the 
Department of Justice. HSA Sec.  1101, 6 U.S.C. 521; section 103(g) of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA, or the Act), 8 U.S.C. 
1103(g). In order to implement the transfer of functions under the HSA, 
the Attorney General reorganized title 8 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations and divided the regulations into chapters, so that chapter 
I contains regulations relating to the functions of the former INS (now 
DHS) and chapter V contains regulations relating to the functions of 
EOIR. 68 FR 9824 (Feb. 28, 2003); see also 68 FR 10349 (March 5, 2003). 
The regulations governing proceedings before EOIR are now contained in 
8 CFR chapter V, beginning with part 1001.
    Portions of the proposed rule relating to the organization of the 
Board of Immigration Appeals (Board) and the powers delegated to the 
Chairman of the Board have already been incorporated into a separate 
final rule published by the Department on August 26, 2002, entitled 
Board of Immigration Appeals: Procedural Reforms To Improve Case 
Management, 67 FR 54878 (Aug. 26, 2002) (now codified at 8 CFR 1003.1). 
The Department does not make any further changes in this rule to the 
powers of the Chairman or the organization of the Board.
    With respect to the remaining provisions of the proposed rule 
relating to the organization of EOIR and the authority of the Director, 
the Chief Immigration Judge, and the General Counsel, this rule 
finalizes the provisions as proposed in that rule as final without 
substantial change, but makes necessary modifications to that rule to 
include technical changes to reflect the enactment of the HSA, 
including the reorganization and renumbering of 8 CFR. In addition, as 
discussed further below, the Department is adding additional management 
directives flowing from the Attorney General's 2006 review of improving 
the workings of the immigration hearing process before the immigration 
judges and the Board.

Public Comments

    The Department allowed a 60-day public comment period on the 
proposed rule that ended on February 26, 2001. The Department received 
comments from three members of the public on the proposed rule.
    A few of the comments discussed sections which pertained to the 
Board. As mentioned above, the Department has already published a 
regulation relating to the organization of the Board and the powers 
delegated to the Chairman of the Board, and comments relating to the 
Board were fully discussed in that separate final rule, with one 
exception discussed here.
    One commenter objected to the proposed redesignation of the members 
of the Board to be known as appellate immigration judges, citing 
possible confusion by the public. The Department has decided not to 
make this change and withdraws that portion of the proposed rule. The 
Act provides that immigration proceedings are conducted by officials 
known as immigration judges, but the Act also states clearly that these 
officials are Department of Justice attorneys who are designated by the 
Attorney General to conduct such proceedings, and they are subject to 
the Attorney General's direction and control. See section 101(b)(4) of 
the INA (8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(4)). However, there do appear to have been at 
least some instances of apparent confusion over time among some 
observers regarding the role and status of the immigration judges. 
Similarly, the members of the Board are Department of Justice attorneys 
who serve as the Attorney General's delegates in deciding the cases 
that come before them. See 8 CFR 1003.1(a)(1), (d)(1). In their quasi-
judicial roles, the immigration judges and the Board members exercise 
very important functions, making adjudicatory decisions and exercising 
discretion on behalf of the Attorney General. However, they are 
Executive Branch adjudicators and do not serve in purely a judicial 
capacity. As the Supreme Court has made clear, the immigration 
adjudication process (and the Board's role in that process) is an

[[Page 53674]]

executive function that implicates not only legal and factual issues, 
but also important immigration policy and foreign relations interests, 
and the ``judiciary is not well positioned to shoulder primary 
responsibility'' for such determinations. INS v. Aguirre-Aguirre, 526 
U.S. 415, 425 (1999).\1\ The Department has decided not to change the 
title of the Board members, in order to avoid possible confusion 
between the key executive functions of the Board and the judicial role 
of the Federal courts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ As the Attorney General's delegate, the Board issues 
precedential decisions which have been accorded appropriate 
deference under the Supreme Court's decisions in Chevron v. NRDC, 
467 U.S. 837 (1984) (deference due agency interpretation of statutes 
within delegated authority); INS v. Aguirre-Aguirre, 526 U.S. 415, 
425 (1999) (Attorney General, and hence the Board, accorded Chevron 
deference); and INS v. Cardoza-Fonseca, 480 U.S. 421, 448-49 (1987) 
(same), as administrative interpretations of the Act. Chevron 
deference is appropriate because the Board is interpreting the Act 
on behalf of the Attorney General. See also Gonzales v. Thomas, 126 
S. Ct. 1613 (2006).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The following is a discussion of the remaining comments relating to 
the organization of EOIR and the authority of the Director and Chief 
Immigration Judge, and the Department's response.
    All three commenters raised concerns with the provisions that allow 
the setting of priorities or time frames for the resolution of cases. 
They expressed concern that an official could direct the outcome of a 
specific case by setting an unyielding completion goal which would 
prevent an immigration judge from taking the time necessary to 
adjudicate a case fairly. On this issue, one commenter believes the 
rule can be interpreted to abrogate the parties' right to a full and 
complete hearing. This commenter would have the rule recognize that 
only the immigration judge should determine the amount of time 
necessary to complete a case.
    One commenter asks whether the rule is intended (a) To authorize an 
official to establish time frames for particular types or classes of 
cases which would be guidelines for the judges to follow, but permit a 
departure from the guidelines in individual cases when necessary; or 
(b) to have an official direct a judge to cut short a particular case 
regardless of the judge's need to take additional time.
    The Department does not believe that the authority to establish 
time frames and guidelines ``directs'' the result of the adjudication. 
Time frames and guidelines are designed to ensure the timely 
adjudication and conclusion of proceedings, and their use is well-
established in immigration procedure. For example, asylum cases have a 
statutory completion requirement of 180 days, pursuant to section 
208(d)(5)(A)(iii) of the INA. A credible fear review by an immigration 
judge has a statutory completion requirement of 7 days, under section 
235(b)(1)(B)(iii)(III) of the Act. In addition, the Board has an 
established case management system where single Board members dispose 
of all assigned appeals within 90 days of completion of the record on 
appeal, or within 180 days after an appeal is assigned to a three-
member panel. 8 CFR 1003.1(e)(8)(i). Moreover, individual immigration 
judges set hearing calendars and prioritize cases. Within each judge's 
parameters for calendaring a case, that judge will take the time 
necessary for the case to be completed. Some cases take less time to 
complete, some more, and most fall within the estimated times.
    Experience has shown that the time frames do not ``direct the 
result'' of a particular case, but rather that the guidelines promote 
timely results. The Department shares the commenters' concern for due 
process and fairness in immigration proceedings. Timely adjudications 
ensure due process and fairness for the aliens in proceedings, as well 
as for the government and its citizens who have an interest in having 
cases adjudicated, benefits conferred, and the laws enforced. See 
generally Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition, v. U.S. Dep't of 
Justice, 264 F. Supp. 2d 14 (D.D.C. 2003) (rejecting challenges to the 
Attorney General's reform of the Board's procedures in 2002); see also 
Nash, v. Bowen, 869 F.2d 675, 681 (2d Cir. 1989) (rejecting 
administrative law judge (ALJ) challenge to efforts by the Social 
Security Administration (SSA) to improve the quality, timeliness, and 
efficiency of the ALJ decision making process; ``those concerns are 
more appropriately addressed by Congress or by courts through the usual 
channels of judicial review in Social Security cases. The bottom line 
in this case is that it was entirely within the Secretary's discretion 
to adopt reasonable administrative measures in order to improve the 
decision making process.'') (citations omitted).
    Another commenter takes issue with Sec.  1003.0(b)(2), which allows 
the Director to delegate his authority to others. This commenter is 
specifically concerned with the Director's ability to delegate his 
authority to ``any other EOIR employee,'' arguing that such a 
delegation is too broad. The Department disagrees with this comment and 
will maintain the regulation as proposed. EOIR is comprised of three 
adjudicating components as well as certain administrative components 
and functions. These administrative components and programs are managed 
by assistant directors and other senior level management officials. On 
occasion, as the Director shall decide, these officials may be in the 
best position to respond to a particular delegation of the Director's 
authority. The Department expects that the Director, who is ultimately 
responsible for the supervision of EOIR, is best able to delegate his 
authority and should not be restricted to only a few agency officials.
    One commenter objected to the General Counsel's now being ``co-
equal'' with the Deputy Director. The commenter expresses concern that 
the General Counsel is on ``an equal managerial basis with its second 
in command.'' The Department directs the reader to Sec.  1003.0(d) and 
(e). The language is clear that the Deputy Director ``shall advise and 
assist . . . in the management of EOIR,'' while the General Counsel, 
serving as chief legal counsel of EOIR, ``shall provide legal advice 
and assistance to the Director [and] Deputy Director''. The Department 
believes the language delineates the distinction in duties and 
responsibilities appropriately.
    Finally, one commenter proposed a change to the definition of 
immigration court in Sec.  1003.9(d) arguing that the definition was 
inaccurate and that the term ``local sites'' should be changed to 
``hearing location.'' Currently, there are 54 immigration courts 
nationwide that create or maintain records of proceedings and serve as 
locations where proceedings are held before immigration judges. There 
are also other hearing locations in detail cities or other hearing 
sites such as correctional facilities where immigration hearings are 
held before an immigration judge. These other hearing locations are all 
serviced by an administrative control immigration court and do not 
serve as locations where documents and correspondence pertaining to a 
record of proceeding can be filed. Therefore these facilities do not 
meet the definition of ``immigration court'' even though hearings can 
be held at locations that are designated by the Office of the Chief 
Immigration Judge for administrative and public convenience. As the 
commenter correctly pointed out, state detention facilities, where 
hearings are held before an immigration judge, would not meet the 
definition of ``immigration court'' since these facilities do not 
create or maintain records of proceedings. The Department will 
therefore maintain the definition of immigration court as proposed in 
order to avoid any confusion with other

[[Page 53675]]

hearing locations where documents and correspondence pertaining to 
records of proceedings are not accepted.

The Attorney General's Management Review of the Immigration Hearing 
Process

    On January 9, 2006, the Attorney General directed a comprehensive 
review of the Immigration Courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals. 
This review was undertaken in response to concerns about the quality of 
decisions being issued by the immigration judges and the Board and 
about reports of intemperate behavior by some immigration judges. The 
Deputy Attorney General and the Associate Attorney General assembled a 
review team, which over the course of several months conducted hundreds 
of interviews, administered an online survey, and analyzed thousands of 
documents to assess the EOIR adjudicative process.
    On August 9, 2006, the Attorney General announced that the review 
was complete, and he directed that a series of measures be taken to 
improve adjudications by the immigration judges and the Board. EOIR has 
already been implementing most of those initiatives through 
administrative and management actions, although several of the 
initiatives require changes to the existing regulations and are being 
implemented through separate rulemaking actions.
    The following discussion reviews some of the internal management 
initiatives arising from the Attorney General's review. Although all of 
the following changes are being implemented through internal management 
changes within EOIR, this final rule has been revised to include a 
brief summary of these key initiatives as being among the Director's 
specific responsibilities, as a permanent reflection of these changes 
which will continue to be implemented over time.
    Among the Attorney General's key priorities was to improve the 
existing processes for dealing with fraud and abuse in the immigration 
process. One administrative step to further this goal is the 
appointment of an anti-fraud officer in EOIR who will be in a position 
to respond to concerns about instances of fraud arising in some of the 
hundreds of thousands of cases being adjudicated each year by the 
immigration judges and the Board, providing for a single point of 
contact for coordination (both within EOIR and in communications with 
other interested agencies). U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 
(USCIS), a component of DHS, has established an Office of Fraud 
Detection and National Security with specific responsibility for 
identifying instances of fraud among the applications for immigration 
benefits filed with USCIS, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 
(ICE) has ongoing enforcement efforts against aliens who have submitted 
fraudulent documents or who seek immigration benefits by fraud or 
misrepresentation. The United States Attorneys have also successfully 
prosecuted, or obtained indictments against, numerous individuals and 
rings that have engaged in widespread immigration fraud (in some cases 
involving hundreds of instances of fraud in separate cases perpetrated 
by the same conspirators). Although the immigration judges and the 
Board are authorized to respond to such fraud on a case-by-case 
basis,\2\ there is also a need for a more systematic response to 
identified instances of fraud, particularly where there are indications 
of wide-scale organized efforts to engage in immigration fraud. This 
final rule has been revised to include a new provision for the General 
Counsel of EOIR to designate an anti-fraud officer to serve as a point 
of contact and coordination with respect to instances of fraud arising 
in administrative proceedings before EOIR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ See, e.g., Ye v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 489 F.3d 517 (2d 
Cir. 2007) (upholding adverse credibility finding where the 
immigration judge noted 23 striking similarities in form and 
substance between an alien's asylum affidavit and another 
applicant's affidavit submitted in a separate asylum case, advised 
the alien of his concern about the similarities, arranged for DHS to 
provide her with a redacted copy of the affidavit submitted in the 
other case, gave the alien several opportunities to address the 
similarities and provide any innocent explanation, and the alien 
failed to respond to the immigration judge's concerns).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final rule also includes new general provisions relating to 
training, support, and review of the quality of the adjudicatory 
process, reflecting several of the directives contained in the Attorney 
General's memorandum of August 9, 2006. Among the Attorney General's 
other specific directives in the August 9 memorandum were:

1--Performance appraisals for immigration judges and Board 
members
2--Evaluation of newly-appointed immigration judges and Board 
members within 2 years
3--Examination in immigration law for newly-appointed 
immigration judges and Board members
4--Improved training for immigration judges and Board members
5--Improved training and guidance for EOIR staff
6--Improved on-bench reference materials and decision 
templates
7--Mechanisms to detect poor conduct and quality
11--Complaint procedures

    In order to summarize and reflect these new initiatives, for the 
information of participants in immigration proceedings and the general 
public, this final rule adds several brief new paragraphs to the 
existing description of the duties of the Director of EOIR in 8 CFR 
1003.0(b)(1), as follows:

 Adding a new para (v) to ``Provide for performance appraisals 
for immigration judges and Board members while fully respecting their 
roles as adjudicators, including a process for reporting adjudications 
that reflect temperament problems or poor decisional quality'' (with 
respect to Attorney General directives 1 and 7)
 Adding a new para (vi) to ``Administer an examination for 
newly-appointed immigration judges and Board members with respect to 
their familiarity with key principles of immigration law before they 
begin to adjudicate matters, and evaluate the temperament and skills of 
each new immigration judge or Board member within 2 years of 
appointment'' (with respect to Attorney General directives 2 
and 3)
 Adding a new para (vii) to ``Provide for comprehensive, 
continuing training and support for Board members, immigration judges, 
and EOIR staff in order to promote the quality and consistency of 
adjudications'' (with respect to Attorney General directives 
4, 5, and 6)
 Adding a new para (viii) to ``Implement a process for 
receiving, evaluating, and responding to complaints of inappropriate 
conduct by EOIR adjudicators'' (with respect to Attorney General 
directive 11)

Regulatory Requirements

Administrative Procedure Act

    The provisions of this rule, in general, finalize without 
substantive change a proposed rule previously published for public 
notice and comment.
    This final rule also incorporates certain management directives 
relating to the appointment of an anti-fraud officer, and new general 
provisions relating to training, support, and review of the quality of 
the adjudicatory process, reflecting several of the directives 
contained in the Attorney General's memorandum of August 9, 2006. All 
of these changes are a matter of agency organization, management, or 
personnel and do not require prior

[[Page 53676]]

notice and comment, and accordingly they are being included in this 
final rule relating to EOIR. See 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2) (exempting ``a 
matter relating to agency management or personnel''); Id. Sec.  
553(b)(A) (exempting ``rules of agency organization, procedure, or 
practice'').

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Attorney General, in accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act (5 U.S.C. 605(b)), has reviewed this rule and, by approving it, 
certifies that it will affect only Department employees, individuals in 
immigration proceedings before the EOIR, and practitioners who appear 
before EOIR. Therefore, this rule will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 
104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35, and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR 
part 1320, do not apply to this final rule because there are no new or 
revised record keeping or reporting requirements.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    This rule will not result in the expenditure by state, local, and 
tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any one year, and it will not significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments. Therefore, no actions were deemed 
necessary under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 
1995.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996

    This rule is not a major rule as defined by section 251 of the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, 5 U.S.C. 
804. This rule will not result in an annual effect on the economy of 
$100 million or more; a major increase in costs or prices; or 
significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, 
productivity, innovation, or on the ability of United States-based 
companies to compete with foreign-based companies in domestic and 
export markets.

Executive Order 12866

    This rule has been drafted and reviewed in accordance with 
Executive Order 12866, section 1(b), Principles of Regulation. This 
rule is limited to agency organization, management and personnel as 
described by Executive Order 12866 Sec.  3(d)(3) and, therefore, is not 
a ``regulation'' or ``rule'' as defined by this Executive Order. 
Accordingly, this action has not been reviewed by the Office of 
Management and Budget.

Executive Order 13132

    This rule will not have substantial direct effects on the States, 
on the relationship between the national government and the States, or 
on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various 
levels of government. Therefore, in accordance with section 6 of 
Executive Order 13132, the Department of Justice has determined that 
this rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant a 
federalism summary impact statement.

Executive Order 12988

    This rule meets the applicable standards set forth in sections 3(a) 
and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform.

Congressional Review Act

    This action pertains to agency management, personnel and 
organization and does not substantially affect the rights or 
obligations of non-agency parties and, accordingly, is not a ``rule'' 
as that term is used by the Congressional Review Act (Subtitle E of the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA)). 
Therefore, the reporting requirement of 5 U.S.C. 801 does not apply.

List of Subjects

8 CFR Part 1003

    Administrative practice and procedure, Aliens, Immigration, Legal 
Services, Organization and function (Government agencies).

8 CFR Part 1240

    Administrative practice and procedure and Aliens.

0
Accordingly, parts 1003 and 1240 of chapter V of title 8 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations are amended as follows:

PART 1003--EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW

0
1. The authority citation for 8 CFR part 1003 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 6 U.S.C. 521; 8 U.S.C. 1101, 1103, 
1154, 1155, 1158, 1182, 1226, 1229, 1229a, 1229b, 1229c, 1231, 
1254a, 1255, 1324d, 1330, 1361, 1362; 28 U.S.C. 509, 510, 1746; sec. 
2 Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1950; 3 CFR, 1949-1953 Comp., p. 1002; 
section 203 of Pub. L. 105-100, 111 Stat. 2196-200; sections 1506 
and 1510 of Pub. L. 106-386, 114 Stat. 1527-29, 1531-32; section 
1505 of Pub. L. 106-554, 114 Stat. 2763A-326 to -328.

0
2. Revise Sec.  1003.0 to read as follows:


Sec.  1003.0  Executive Office for Immigration Review.

    (a) Organization. Within the Department of Justice, there shall be 
an Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), headed by a Director 
who is appointed by the Attorney General. The Director shall be 
assisted by a Deputy Director and by a General Counsel. EOIR shall 
include the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Office of the Chief 
Immigration Judge, the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing 
Officer, and such other staff as the Attorney General or Director may 
provide.
    (b) Powers of the Director.-- (1) In general. The Director shall 
manage EOIR and its employees and shall be responsible for the 
direction and supervision of the Board, the Office of the Chief 
Immigration Judge, and the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing 
Officer in the execution of their respective duties pursuant to the Act 
and the provisions of this chapter. Unless otherwise provided by the 
Attorney General, the Director shall report to the Deputy Attorney 
General and the Attorney General. The Director shall have the authority 
to:
    (i) Issue operational instructions and policy, including procedural 
instructions regarding the implementation of new statutory or 
regulatory authorities;
    (ii) Direct the conduct of all EOIR employees to ensure the 
efficient disposition of all pending cases, including the power, in his 
discretion, to set priorities or time frames for the resolution of 
cases; to direct that the adjudication of certain cases be deferred; to 
regulate the assignment of adjudicators to cases; and otherwise to 
manage the docket of matters to be decided by the Board, the 
immigration judges, the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, or the 
administrative law judges;
    (iii) Provide for appropriate administrative coordination with the 
other components of the Department of Justice, with the Department of 
Homeland Security, and with the Department of State;
    (iv) Evaluate the performance of the Board of Immigration Appeals, 
the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge, the Office of the Chief 
Administrative Hearing Officer, and other EOIR activities, make 
appropriate reports and inspections, and take corrective action where 
needed;
    (v) Provide for performance appraisals for immigration judges and 
Board members while fully respecting their

[[Page 53677]]

roles as adjudicators, including a process for reporting adjudications 
that reflect temperament problems or poor decisional quality;
    (vi) Administer an examination for newly-appointed immigration 
judges and Board members with respect to their familiarity with key 
principles of immigration law before they begin to adjudicate matters, 
and evaluate the temperament and skills of each new immigration judge 
or Board member within 2 years of appointment;
    (vii) Provide for comprehensive, continuing training and support 
for Board members, immigration judges, and EOIR staff in order to 
promote the quality and consistency of adjudications;
    (viii) Implement a process for receiving, evaluating, and 
responding to complaints of inappropriate conduct by EOIR adjudicators; 
and
    (ix) Exercise such other authorities as the Attorney General may 
provide.
    (2) Delegations. The Director may delegate the authority given to 
him by this part or by the Attorney General to the Deputy Director, the 
General Counsel, the Chairman of the Board of Immigration Appeals, the 
Chief Immigration Judge, the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, or 
any other EOIR employee.
    (c) Limit on the Authority of the Director. The Director shall have 
no authority to adjudicate cases arising under the Act or regulations 
and shall not direct the result of an adjudication assigned to the 
Board, an immigration judge, the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, 
or an Administrative Law Judge; provided, however, that nothing in this 
part shall be construed to limit the authority of the Director under 
paragraph (b) of this section.
    (d) Deputy Director. The Deputy Director shall advise and assist 
the Director in the management of EOIR and the formulation of policy 
and guidelines. Unless otherwise limited by law or by order of the 
Director, the Deputy Director shall exercise the full authority of the 
Director in the discharge of his or her duties.
    (e) General Counsel. Subject to the supervision of the Director, 
the General Counsel shall serve as the chief legal counsel of EOIR. The 
General Counsel shall provide legal advice and assistance to the 
Director, Deputy Director, and heads of the components within EOIR, and 
shall supervise all legal activities of EOIR not related to 
adjudications arising under the Act or this chapter.
    (1) Professional standards. The General Counsel shall administer 
programs to protect the integrity of immigration proceedings before 
EOIR, including administering the disciplinary program for attorneys 
and accredited representatives under subpart G of this part.
    (2) Fraud issues. The General Counsel shall designate an anti-fraud 
officer who shall--
    (i) Serve as a point of contact relating to concerns about possible 
fraud upon EOIR, particularly with respect to matters relating to 
fraudulent applications or documents affecting multiple removal 
proceedings, applications for relief from removal, appeals, or other 
proceedings before EOIR;
    (ii) Coordinate with investigative authorities of the Department of 
Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and other appropriate 
agencies with respect to the identification of and response to such 
fraud; and
    (iii) Notify the EOIR disciplinary counsel and other appropriate 
authorities with respect to instances of fraud, misrepresentation, or 
abuse pertaining to an attorney or accredited representative.
    (f) Citizenship Requirement for Employment. (1) An application to 
work at EOIR, either as an employee or a volunteer, must include a 
signed affirmation from the applicant that he or she is a citizen of 
the United States of America. If requested, the applicant must document 
United States citizenship.
    (2) The Director of EOIR may, by explicit written determination and 
to the extent permitted by law, authorize the appointment of an alien 
to an EOIR position when necessary to accomplish the work of EOIR.

Subpart B--Office of the Chief Immigration Judge

0
3. Revise the heading of Subpart B to read as set forth above.

0
4. Revise Sec.  1003.9 to read as follows:


Sec.  1003.9  Office of the Chief Immigration Judge.

    (a) Organization. Within the Executive Office for Immigration 
Review, there shall be an Office of the Chief Immigration Judge (OCIJ), 
consisting of the Chief Immigration Judge, the immigration judges, and 
such other staff as the Director deems necessary. The Attorney General 
shall appoint the Chief Immigration Judge. The Director may designate 
immigration judges to serve as Deputy and Assistant Chief Immigration 
Judges as may be necessary to assist the Chief Immigration Judge in the 
management of the OCIJ.
    (b) Powers of the Chief Immigration Judge. Subject to the 
supervision of the Director, the Chief Immigration Judge shall be 
responsible for the supervision, direction, and scheduling of the 
immigration judges in the conduct of the hearings and duties assigned 
to them. The Chief Immigration Judge shall have the authority to:
    (1) Issue operational instructions and policy, including procedural 
instructions regarding the implementation of new statutory or 
regulatory authorities;
    (2) Provide for appropriate training of the immigration judges and 
other OCIJ staff on the conduct of their powers and duties;
    (3) Direct the conduct of all employees assigned to OCIJ to ensure 
the efficient disposition of all pending cases, including the power, in 
his discretion, to set priorities or time frames for the resolution of 
cases, to direct that the adjudication of certain cases be deferred, to 
regulate the assignment of immigration judges to cases, and otherwise 
to manage the docket of matters to be decided by the immigration 
judges;
    (4) Evaluate the performance of the Immigration Courts and other 
OCIJ activities by making appropriate reports and inspections, and take 
corrective action where needed;
    (5) Adjudicate cases as an immigration judge; and
    (6) Exercise such other authorities as the Director may provide.
    (c) Limit on the Authority of the Chief Immigration Judge. The 
Chief Immigration Judge shall have no authority to direct the result of 
an adjudication assigned to another immigration judge, provided, 
however, that nothing in this part shall be construed to limit the 
authority of the Chief Immigration Judge in paragraph (b) of this 
section.
    (d) Immigration Court. The term Immigration Court shall refer to 
the local sites of the OCIJ where proceedings are held before 
immigration judges and where the records of those proceedings are 
created and maintained.

0
5. Revise Sec.  1003.10 to read as follows:


Sec.  1003.10  Immigration judges.

    (a) Appointment. The immigration judges are attorneys whom the 
Attorney General appoints as administrative judges within the Office of 
the Chief Immigration Judge to conduct specified classes of 
proceedings, including hearings under section 240 of the Act. 
Immigration judges shall act as the Attorney General's delegates in the 
cases that come before them.
    (b) Powers and duties. In conducting hearings under section 240 of 
the Act and such other proceedings the

[[Page 53678]]

Attorney General may assign to them, immigration judges shall exercise 
the powers and duties delegated to them by the Act and by the Attorney 
General through regulation. In deciding the individual cases before 
them, and subject to the applicable governing standards, immigration 
judges shall exercise their independent judgment and discretion and may 
take any action consistent with their authorities under the Act and 
regulations that is appropriate and necessary for the disposition of 
such cases. Immigration judges shall administer oaths, receive 
evidence, and interrogate, examine, and cross-examine aliens and any 
witnesses. Subject to Sec. Sec.  1003.35 and 1287.4 of this chapter, 
they may issue administrative subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses 
and the presentation of evidence. In all cases, immigration judges 
shall seek to resolve the questions before them in a timely and 
impartial manner consistent with the Act and regulations.
    (c) Review. Decisions of immigration judges are subject to review 
by the Board of Immigration Appeals in any case in which the Board has 
jurisdiction as provided in 8 CFR 1003.1.
    (d) Governing standards. Immigration judges shall be governed by 
the provisions and limitations prescribed by the Act and this chapter, 
by the decisions of the Board, and by the Attorney General (through 
review of a decision of the Board, by written order, or by 
determination and ruling pursuant to section 103 of the Act).

PART 1240--PROCEEDINGS TO DETERMINE REMOVABILITY OF ALIENS IN THE 
UNITED STATES

0
6. The authority citation for 8 CFR part 1240 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1103, 1182, 1186a, 1224, 1225, 1226, 1227, 
1251, 1252 note, 1252a, 1252b, 1362; secs. 202 and 203, Pub. L. 105-
100 (111 Stat. 2160, 2193); sec. 902, Pub. L. 105-277 (112 Stat. 
2681); 8 CFR part 2.

Subpart A--Removal Proceedings


Sec.  1240.1  [Amended]

0
7. Amend Sec.  1240.1 by removing the first and second sentences of 
paragraph (a)(2).

    Dated: September 12, 2007.
Alberto R. Gonzales,
Attorney General.
[FR Doc. E7-18526 Filed 9-19-07; 8:45 am]
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