[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65587-65588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-22771]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services


Agency Information Collection Activities: Revision of an Existing 
Information Collection; Request for Comments and Suggestions for Making 
the Form More User Friendly

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, HSD.

ACTION: 30-Day Notice of Information Collection Under Review: Form I-
589, Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal; OMB Control No. 
1615-0067.

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    The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and 
Immigration Services (USCIS) has submitted the following information 
collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995. The information collection was previously published in the 
Federal Register on June 29, 2007, at 72 FR 35713. The notice allowed 
for a 60-day public comment period, and also requested suggestions for 
making the form more user friendly. USCIS did not receive any comments 
for this information collection.
    The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for 
public comments. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until 
December 21, 2007. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 
1320.10.
    Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) contained 
in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public burden and 
associated response time, should be directed to the Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS), USCIS, Chief, Regulatory Management Division, 
Clearance Office, 111 Massachusetts Avenue, 3rd floor, Washington, DC 
20529. Comments may also be submitted to DHS via facsimile to 202-272-
8352 or via e-mail at [email protected], and to the OMB USCIS Desk 
Officer via facsimile at 202-395-6974 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].
    When submitting comments by e-mail please make sure to add OMB 
Control Number 1615-0067 in the subject box. Written comments and 
suggestions from the public and affected agencies should address one or 
more of the following four points:
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses; and
    (5) Suggest how the collection of information can be made more 
customer-friendly, identify any confusing and/or unnecessary language 
contained in the collection of information (including the form and form 
instructions), and offer specific ways that the form and form 
instructions can be improved upon or clarified so that they are more 
easily understood by those who do not speak English as their primary 
language and who may not be familiar with legal terms. Any suggested 
changes in language must be consistent with the statutory, regulatory 
and legal requirements for asylum, withholding of removal, and 
protection pursuant to the Convention Against Torture, and must be 
sufficiently precise so as to elicit the information needed by 
adjudicators to decide the cases before them and to provide adequate 
notice to the applicant of the legal consequences and requirements 
associated with the application.
    Overview of this information collection:
    (1) Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently 
approved information collection.
    (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Application for Asylum and for 
Withholding of Removal.
    (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
Department of Homeland Security sponsoring the collection: Form I-589. 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
    (4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract: Primary: Individuals or Households. This 
information collection will be used to determine whether an alien 
applying for asylum and/or withholding of deportation in the United 
States is classifiable as a refugee, and is eligible to remain in the 
United States.
    (5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: 63,138 
responses at 12 hours per response.
    (6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: 757,656 annual burden hours.
    If you have additional comments, suggestions, or need a copy of the 
information collection instrument, please visit the USCIS Web site at: 
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main. We may also be 
contacted at: USCIS, Regulatory Management Division, 111 Massachusetts 
Avenue, NW., Suite 3008, Washington, DC 20529, telephone number 202-
272-8377.


[[Page 65588]]


    Dated: November 16, 2007.
Richard A. Sloan,
Chief, Regulatory Management Division, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
Services, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. E7-22771 Filed 11-20-07; 8:45 am]
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