[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 308-310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-29117]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Sponsor Review 
Procedures for Unaccompanied Alien Children (OMB #0970-0278)

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement; Administration for Children and 
Families; Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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[[Page 309]]

SUMMARY: This information collection consists of several instruments 
that allow the Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) Program to assess the 
ability of potential sponsors to provide for the physical and mental 
well-being of the UAC and whether the UAC will be safe in the custody 
of the potential sponsor. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS), is inviting public comments on 
proposed revisions to the Sponsor Verification Application (formerly 
the Family Reunification Application); and the Sponsor Care Agreement. 
Revisions to the Sponsor Care Agreement change the categorization from 
supplementary material to an information collection and associated 
burden has been included in this update.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and Families is soliciting 
public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection 
described above.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained and comments may be forwarded by emailing 
[email protected]. Alternatively, copies can also be obtained 
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of 
Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), 330 C Street SW, Washington, 
DC 20201, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. All requests, emailed or 
written, should be identified by the title of the information 
collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description

    1. Sponsor Verification Application (Form SVP-3/3s): ORR is 
proposing several major revisions to the Sponsor Verification 
Application in order to collect more detailed information that will 
allow for a more robust assessment of sponsor suitability. ORR also 
removed the section that collected information on the individual 
identified to care for the UAC should the potential sponsor need to 
leave the country. This section was removed because it will be obtained 
as part of the sponsor care plan and not as part of the application 
process. Additionally, the application establishes a deadline of 45 
calendar days for potential sponsors to submit the instruments in this 
collection, as well as supporting documents, imposed at the case 
manager's discretion. Allowing the case manager to set a firm deadline 
not only assists ORR in meeting its statutory requirement to release 
UAC from its custody without unnecessary delay, but also provides the 
sponsor and ORR with an official date of denial as opposed to leaving 
cases on an open ended ``pending'' status. Finally, ORR added an option 
for potential sponsors to voluntarily submit to a DNA test to prove 
that they are biologically related to the child in support of their 
application. DNA results can be used to prove a biological relationship 
exists in lieu of supporting paperwork (such as birth certificates) or 
where such paperwork is difficult or impossible to obtain and/or 
authenticate in a timely manner. ORR will pay for the cost of the DNA 
test. In some instances where ORR has serious concerns about fraud 
regarding the biological relationship of the child and the proposed 
sponsor or other individual in the sponsor's household, the agency may 
require an ORR-paid DNA test, before making a release decision.
    2. Sponsor Care Agreement (Form SVP-4/4s): ORR is proposing to add 
an additional provision to the Sponsor Care Agreement requiring 
sponsors to enroll in post-release services (PRS) as a condition of 
release. PRS caseworkers will make initial phone contact with the 
released child within two days of release and an in-person home visit 
within 30 days of release. Subsequently, PRS caseworkers will contact 
both the released child and sponsor via phone at least once a month; 
and make additional in-home visits at least every 90 days. The PRS 
caseworker has discretion to decide how long phone contact and in-home 
check-ins need to continue. This additional provision will assist in 
ensuring that released UACs are thriving and will provide an 
opportunity for the UAC to express any safety or well-being concerns. 
It also assists in ensuring that sponsors are acutely aware of the 
responsibilities of sponsorship including ensuring that UACs attend 
immigration proceedings as well as continuing to meet educational and 
medical requirements as appropriate.
    Respondents: Potential sponsors for UAC.
    Annual Burden Estimates:

                                          Annual Burden for Respondents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Annual number  Average burden
          Information collection title             Annual number   of responses      hours per     Annual total
                                                  of respondents  per respondent     response      burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorization for Release of Information (Form            38,310               1            1.00          38,310
 SVP-2/2s)......................................
Sponsor Verification Application (Form SVP-3/3s)          57,200               1           10.00         588,779
Sponsor Verification Application (Form SVP-3/             16,779               1            1.00
 3s)--Applicants choosing to submit to an ORR-
 paid DNA test..................................
Sponsor Care Agreement (SVP-4/4s) All UAC check-          57,200               1            3.75         214,500
 in.............................................
Fingerprinting Instructions (SVP-7/7s)..........          38,310               1            3.00         114,930
Letter of Designation for Care of a Minor (Form           17,160               1            1.50          25,740
 SVP-9/9s)......................................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours Total.........  ..............  ..............  ..............         999,038
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                                        Annual Burden for Record Keepers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Annual number
                                                   Annual number   of responses   Average burden   Annual total
          Information collection title               of record      per record       hours per     burden hours
                                                      keepers         keeper         response
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorization for Release of Information (Form               216             177            1.00          38,232
 SVP-2/2s)......................................
Sponsor Verification Application (Form SVP-3/3s)             216             265            6.00         379,080

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Sponsor Verification Application (Form SVP-3/                216              87            1.00
 3s)--Cases requiring a Financial Care Plan.....
Sponsor Verification Application (Form SVP-3/                216              78            1.00
 3s)--Applicants choosing to submit to an ORR-
 paid DNA test..................................
Sponsor Care Agreement (SVP-4/4s) All UAC check-             216             265            0.75          42,930
 in.............................................
Sponsor Care Agreement (SVP-4/4s) All UAC check-              11           5,200            3.00         171,600
 in.............................................
Fingerprinting Instructions (SVP-7/7s)..........             216             177            1.00          38,232
Letter of Designation for Care of a Minor (Form              216              79            0.50           8,532
 SVP-9/9s)......................................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours Total.........  ..............  ..............  ..............         714,246
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    Comments: The Department specifically requests comments on (a) 
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection 
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication.

    Authority: 6 U.S.C. 279; 8 U.S.C. 1232; Flores v. Reno 
Settlement Agreement, No. CV85-4544-RJK (C.D. Cal. 1996).

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-29117 Filed 1-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-45-P