[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 24, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17184-17185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08289]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary


Determination Pursuant to Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration 
Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, as Amended

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice of determination.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Homeland Security has determined, pursuant to 
law, that it is necessary to waive certain laws, regulations, and other 
legal requirements in order to ensure the expeditious construction of 
barriers and roads in the vicinity of the international land border 
near San Luis, Arizona.

DATES: This determination takes effect on April 24, 2019.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Important mission requirements of the 
Department of Homeland Security (``DHS'') include border security and 
the detection and prevention of illegal entry into the United States. 
Border security is critical to the nation's national security. 
Recognizing the critical importance of border security, Congress has 
mandated DHS to achieve and maintain operational control of the 
international land border. Secure Fence Act of 2006, Public Law 109-
367, section 2, 120 Stat. 2638 (Oct. 26, 2006) (8 U.S.C. 1701 note). 
Congress defined ``operational control'' as the prevention of all 
unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by 
terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, 
and other contraband. Id. Consistent with that mandate from Congress, 
the President's Executive Order on Border Security and Immigration 
Enforcement Improvements directed executive departments and agencies to 
deploy all lawful means to secure the southern border. Executive Order 
13767, section 1. In order to achieve that end, the President directed, 
among other things, that I take immediate steps to prevent all unlawful 
entries into the United States, including the immediate construction of 
physical infrastructure to prevent illegal entry. Executive Order 
13767, section 4(a).
    Congress has provided to the Secretary of Homeland Security a 
number of authorities necessary to carry out DHS's border security 
mission. One of those authorities is found at section 102 of the 
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, as 
amended (``IIRIRA''). Public Law 104-208, Div. C, 110 Stat. 3009-546, 
3009-554 (Sept. 30, 1996) (8 U.S.C. 1103 note), as amended by the REAL 
ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109-13, Div. B, 119 Stat. 231, 302, 306 (May 
11, 2005) (8 U.S.C. 1103 note), as amended by the Secure Fence Act of 
2006, Public Law 109-367, section 3, 120 Stat. 2638 (Oct. 26, 2006) (8 
U.S.C. 1103 note), as amended by the Department of Homeland Security 
Appropriations Act, 2008, Public Law 110-161, Div. E, Title V, Sec.  
564, 121 Stat. 2090 (Dec. 26, 2007). In section 102(a) of IIRIRA, 
Congress provided that the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take 
such actions as may be necessary to install additional physical 
barriers and roads (including the removal of obstacles to detection of 
illegal entrants) in the vicinity of the United States border to deter 
illegal crossings in areas of high illegal entry into the United 
States. In section 102(b) of IIRIRA, Congress mandated the installation 
of additional fencing, barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors 
on the southwest border. Finally, in section 102(c) of

[[Page 17185]]

IIRIRA, Congress granted to the Secretary of Homeland Security the 
authority to waive all legal requirements that I, in my sole 
discretion, determine necessary to ensure the expeditious construction 
of barriers and roads authorized by section 102 of IIRIRA.

Determination and Waiver:

Section 1

    The United States Border Patrol's Yuma Sector is an area of high 
illegal entry. In fiscal year 2018 alone, the United States Border 
Patrol (``Border Patrol'') apprehended over 26,000 illegal aliens in 
the Yuma Sector. In that same year Border Patrol seized approximately 
8,100 pounds of marijuana, over 78 pounds of cocaine, over 102 pounds 
of heroin, and over 1,700 pounds of methamphetamine in the Yuma Sector.
    In order to satisfy the need for additional border infrastructure 
in the Yuma Sector, DHS will take action to replace existing barriers. 
The barrier replacement will occur within two segments of the border in 
the Yuma Sector. The two segments of the border within which such 
construction will occur are referred to herein as the ``project area'' 
and are more specifically described in Section 2 below. Congress 
provided funding for this project in the Fiscal Year 2018 DHS 
Appropriations Act, Public Law 115-141, Division F, Title II, section 
230.
    The replacement of primary fencing within the project area will 
further Border Patrol's ability to deter and prevent illegal crossings. 
The existing barriers were constructed between the early-to-mid 1990's 
and mid-to-late 2000's. The existing barriers will be replaced with an 
eighteen to thirty foot barrier that employs a more operationally 
effective design that is intended to meet Border Patrol's operational 
requirements. In addition, DHS will, where necessary make improvements 
to existing roads within the project area.

Section 2

    I determine that the following areas in the vicinity of the United 
States border, located in the State of Arizona within the United States 
Border Patrol's Yuma Sector, are areas of high illegal entry (the 
``project area''):
     Starting west of the intersection of County 21\1/2\ Street 
and West Main Canal Road extending south and generally following the 
Colorado River approximately one and six tenths (1.6) miles to the 
point where the Colorado River crosses the international border between 
the United States and Mexico.
     Starting approximately one mile west of the San Luis, 
Arizona Land Port of Entry and extending east to approximately two and 
one half (2.5) miles east of Border Monument 198.
    There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct 
physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United 
States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in 
the project area, pursuant to sections 102(a) and 102(b) of IIRIRA. In 
order to ensure the expeditious construction of the barriers and roads 
in the project area, I have determined that it is necessary that I 
exercise the authority that is vested in me by section 102(c) of 
IIRIRA.
    Accordingly, pursuant to section 102(c) of IIRIRA, I hereby waive 
in their entirety, with respect to the construction of roads and 
physical barriers (including, but not limited to, accessing the project 
area, creating and using staging areas, the conduct of earthwork, 
excavation, fill, and site preparation, and installation and upkeep of 
physical barriers, roads, supporting elements, drainage, erosion 
controls, safety features, lighting, cameras, and sensors) in the 
project area, all of the following statutes, including all federal, 
state, or other laws, regulations, and legal requirements of, deriving 
from, or related to the subject of, the following statutes, as amended:
    The National Environmental Policy Act (Pub. L. 91-190, 83 Stat. 852 
(Jan. 1, 1970) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)); the Endangered Species Act 
(Pub. L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884 (Dec. 28, 1973) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.)); the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly referred to 
as the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.)); the National Historic 
Preservation Act (Pub. L. 89-665, 80 Stat. 915 (Oct. 15, 1966), as 
amended, repealed, or replaced by Pub. L. 113-287 (Dec. 19, 2014) 
(formerly codified at 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq., now codified at 54 U.S.C. 
100101 note and 54 U.S.C. 300101 et seq.)); the Migratory Bird Treaty 
Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.); the Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 
U.S.C. 715 et seq.); the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.); the 
Archeological Resources Protection Act (Pub. L. 96-95 (16 U.S.C. 470aa 
et seq.)); the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
470aaa et seq.); the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988 (16 
U.S.C. 4301 et seq.); the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et 
seq.); the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.); the Noise 
Control Act (42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.); the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as 
amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 
et seq.); the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.); the Archaeological and Historic 
Preservation Act (Pub. L. 86-523, as amended, repealed, or replaced by 
Pub. L. 113-287 (Dec. 19, 2014) (formerly codified at 16 U.S.C. 469 et 
seq., now codified at 54 U.S.C. 312502 et seq.)); the Antiquities Act 
(formerly codified at 16 U.S.C. 431 et seq., now codified 54 U.S.C. 
320301 et seq.); the Historic Sites, Buildings, and Antiquities Act 
(formerly codified at 16 U.S.C. 461 et seq., now codified at 54 U.S.C. 
3201-320303 and 320101-320106); the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Pub. L. 
90-542 (16 U.S.C. 1281 et seq.)); the Farmland Protection Policy Act (7 
U.S.C. 4201 et seq.); the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Pub 
L. 94-579 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)); National Fish and Wildlife Act of 
1956 (Pub. L. 84-1024 (16 U.S.C. 742a, et seq.)); the Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act (Pub. L. 73-121 (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.)); the Wild 
Horse and Burro Act (16 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.); the Administrative 
Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 551 et seq.); the Rivers and Harbors Act of 
1899 (33 U.S.C. 403); the Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668 et seq.); 
the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 
3001 et seq.); the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (42 U.S.C. 
1996); the Military Lands Withdrawal Act of 1999 (Pub L. 106-65, 113 
Stat. 885); the Sikes Act (16 U.S.C. 670, et seq.); and 43 U.S.C. Sec.  
387.
    This waiver does not revoke or supersede previous waivers published 
in the Federal Register on January 19, 2007 (72 FR 2535) and April 8, 
2008 (73 FR 19078) which shall remain in full force and effect in 
accordance with their terms. I reserve the authority to execute further 
waivers from time to time as I may determine to be necessary under 
section 102 of IIRIRA.

    Dated: April 18, 2019.
Kevin K. McAleenan,
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2019-08289 Filed 4-23-19; 8:45 am]
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