[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 5, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11324-11326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-03492]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
[OMB Control Number 1615-New]
Agency Information Collection Activities; New Collection: Generic
Clearance for the Collection of Social Media Identifier(s) on
Immigration Forms
AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of
Homeland Security.
ACTION: 60-Day notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment upon this proposed new collection of
information. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995, the information collection notice is published in the Federal
Register to obtain comments regarding the nature of the information
collection, the
[[Page 11325]]
categories of respondents, the estimated burden (i.e. the time, effort,
and resources used by the respondents to respond), the estimated cost
to the respondent, and the actual information collection instruments.
This collection of information is necessary to comply with section 2 of
the Executive order (E.O.) entitled ``Protecting the United States from
Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety
Threats'', which directs implementation of uniform vetting standards
and requires the collection of all information necessary for a rigorous
vetting and screening of all grounds of inadmissibility or bases for
the denial of immigration-related benefits. In a review of information
collected for admission and benefit decisions, U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) identified the need to collect social
media identifiers (``handles'') and associated social media platform
names from applicants to enable and help inform identity verification,
national security and public safety screening, and vetting, and related
inspections.
DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until
May 5, 2025.
ADDRESSES: All submissions received must include the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1615-NEW in the body of the
letter, the agency name, and Docket ID USCIS-2025-0003. Submit comments
via the Federal eRulemaking Portal website at https://www.regulations.gov under e-Docket ID number USCIS-2025-0003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: USCIS, Office of Policy and Strategy,
Regulatory Coordination Division, Samantha Deshommes, Chief, telephone
number (240) 721-3000 (This is not a toll-free number. Comments are not
accepted via telephone message.). Please note contact information
provided here is solely for questions regarding this notice. It is not
for individual case status inquiries. Applicants seeking information
about the status of their individual cases can check Case Status
Online, available at the USCIS website at https://www.uscis.gov, or
call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments
You may access the information collection instrument with
instructions or additional information by visiting the Federal
eRulemaking Portal site at: https://www.regulations.gov and entering
USCIS-2025-0003 in the search box. Comments must be submitted in
English, or an English translation must be provided. All submissions
will be posted, without change, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
https://www.regulations.gov, and will include any personal information
you provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes it public.
You may wish to consider limiting the amount of personal information
that you provide in any voluntary submission you make to DHS. DHS may
withhold information provided in comments from public viewing that it
determines may impact the privacy of an individual or is offensive. For
additional information, please read the Privacy Act notice that is
available via the link in the footer of https://www.regulations.gov.
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; and
(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.
Background
Executive Order 14161, ``Protecting the United States from Foreign
Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,''
directs implementation of uniform vetting standards and necessitates
the collection of all information necessary for a rigorous vetting and
screening of all grounds of inadmissibility or bases for the denial of
immigration-related benefits. See 90 FR 8451 (Jan. 20, 2025). Execution
of the E.O. requires U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
to collect social media identifier(s) data on immigration forms and/or
within information collection systems. This data will be collected from
certain populations of individuals on applications for immigration-
related benefits and is necessary for the enhanced identity
verification, vetting and national security screening, and inspection
conducted by USCIS and required under the E.O.
This collection of information is necessary to comply with section
2 of the E.O. establishing enhanced screening and vetting standards and
procedures enabling USCIS to assess an alien's eligibility to receive
an immigration-related benefit from USCIS. This data collection also is
used to help validate an applicant's identity and determine whether
such grant of a benefit poses a security or public-safety threat to the
United States.
Overview of This Information Collection
(1) Type of Information Collection: New Collection.
(2) Title of the Form/Collection: Generic Clearance for the
Collection of Social Media Identifier(s) on Immigration Forms.
(3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the
DHS sponsoring the collection: GC-2025-0003; USCIS.
(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as
well as a brief abstract: Primary: Individuals or households. E.O.
14161, ``Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other
National Security and Public Safety Threats,'' directs implementation
of uniform vetting standards and necessitates collection of all
information necessary for a rigorous vetting and screening of all
grounds of inadmissibility or bases for the denial of immigration-
related benefits. Execution of the E.O. requires USCIS to collect
Social Media Identifier(s) on immigration forms and/or information
collection systems. This data will be collected from certain
populations of individuals on applications for immigration-related
benefits and is necessary for the enhanced identity verification,
vetting and national security screening and, inspection conducted by
USCIS and required under the E.O.
(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond:
The estimated total number of respondents for the
information collection N-400 is 909,700 and the estimated hour burden
per response is 0.08 hour.
The estimated total number of respondents for the
information collection I-131 is 1,073,059 and the estimated hour burden
per response is 0.08 hour.
The estimated total number of respondents for the
information
[[Page 11326]]
collection I-192 is 68,050 and the estimated hour burden per response
is 0.08 hour.
The estimated total number of respondents for the
information collection I-485 is 1,060,585 and the estimated hour burden
per response is 0.08 hour.
The estimated total number of respondents for the
information collection I-589 is 203,379 and the estimated hour burden
per response is 0.08 hour.
The estimated total number of respondents for the
information collection I-590 is 106,200 and the estimated hour burden
per response is 0.08 hour.
The estimated total number of respondents for the
information collection I-730 is 13,000 and the estimated hour burden
per response is 0.08 hour.
The estimated total number of respondents for the
information collection I-751 is 140,000 and the estimated hour burden
per response is 0.08 hour.
The estimated total number of respondents for the
information collection I-829 is 1,010 and the estimated hour burden per
response is 0.08 hour.
(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated
with the collection: The total estimated annual hour burden associated
with this collection is 285,999 hours.
(7) An estimate of the total public burden (in cost) associated
with the collection: The estimated total annual cost burden associated
with this collection of information is $0. No additional costs to the
public are anticipated due to this action. Any costs to the respondents
associated with the specific form filed are captured in those approved
collections.
Dated: February 26, 2025.
Jerry L Rigdon,
Acting Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and
Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of
Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2025-03492 Filed 3-4-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-97-P