Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Notice of privacy act system of records.
This notice addresses the previously established ENFORCE/IDENT system, a portion of which is the U S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US–VISIT) program. This notice allows the ENFORCE/IDENT system to collect biometric and biographic data for US–
Written comments must be submitted on or before January 12, 2004.
Please address your comments to the Privacy Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528. You must identify the Docket Number DHS/ICE–CBP–CIS–001 at the beginning of your comments, and you should submit two copies of the comments. You may also submit comments via e-mail at
If you have any questions about this notice, please call Nuala O'Connor Kelly, Chief Privacy Officer, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528, Phone: 202–282–8000; Fax 202–772–5036.
In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, the DHS is publishing this notice regarding an existing system of records known as Enforcement Operational Immigration Records (ENFORCE/IDENT). This notice allows ENFORCE/IDENT to collect biometric and biographic data in support of US–VISIT. The purpose of the amended system is to support US–VISIT to record information pertinent to the arrival and departure of immigrants and nonimmigrants to and from the United States, in addition to the data collected for DHS national security, law enforcement and other mission-related functions.
Enforcement Operational Immigration Records (ENFORCE/IDENT).
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) field offices for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); Service Centers; Border Patrol Sectors (including all offices under their jurisdiction); Ports of Entry; Asylum offices and other offices as detailed in DHS–DS–999, last published in the
Categories of individuals covered by this notice may include:
A. Individuals or entities who relate in any manner to investigations, inspections, apprehensions, detentions, patrols, removals, examinations, naturalizations, intelligence production, legal proceedings or other operations that implement and enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1101
B. Individuals who are obligors or representatives of obligors of bonds posted.
C. Individuals in distress who are located during search and rescue operations, and other immigration operations.
D. Individuals wanted by other law enforcement agencies, including Federal, State, local, tribal, foreign and international or individuals who are the subject of inquiries, lookouts, or notices by another agency or a foreign government.
E. Individuals who apply for immigration benefits.
F. Non-U.S. citizens and Non-Lawful Permanent Residents who present themselves for entry into and/or exit from the United States including individuals subject to the requirements and processes of US–VISIT. Individuals covered under US–VISIT include those who are not U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents at the time of entry or exit or who are U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents who have not identified themselves as such at the time of entry or exit.
G. Nationals of countries that threaten to wage war, or are or were at war with the United States, and individuals required to register as agents of foreign governments in the United States.
These records may be paper, electronic and/or other record material (
8 U.S.C. 1103; 8 U.S.C. 1225(d)(3); 8 U.S.C. 1324(b)(3); 8 U.S.C. 1357(a); and 8 U.S.C. 1360(b).
This system of records is established and maintained to enable DHS to carry out its assigned national security, law enforcement, immigration control, and other mission-related functions and to provide associated management reporting, planning and analysis. Specifically, this system of records assists in identifying, investigating, apprehending, and/or removing aliens unlawfully entering or present in the United States; preventing the entry of inadmissible aliens into the United States; facilitating the legal entry of individuals into the United States; recording the departure of individuals leaving the United States; maintaining immigration control; preventing aliens from obtaining benefits to which they are not entitled; analyzing information gathered for the purpose of this and other DHS programs; or identifying, investigating, apprehending and prosecuting, or imposing sanctions, fines or civil penalties against individuals or entities who are in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), or other governing orders, treaties or regulations and assisting other Federal agencies to protect national security and carry out other Federal missions.
Relevant information contained in this system of records may be disclosed, within established confidentiality guidelines (
A. To the appropriate agency/organization/task force, regardless of whether it is Federal, State, local, foreign, or tribal, charged with the
B. To other Federal, State, tribal, and local government law enforcement and regulatory agencies and foreign governments, and individuals and organizations during the course of an investigation or the processing of a matter, or during a proceeding within the purview of the immigration and nationality laws, to elicit information required by DHS to carry out its functions and statutory mandates.
C. To an appropriate Federal, State, local, tribal, international government agency in response to its request, in connection with the hiring or retention by such an agency of an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the reporting of an investigation of such an employee, the letting a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant, loan, or other benefit by the requesting agency, to the extent that the information is relevant and necessary to the requesting agency's decision in the matter.
D. To an actual or potential party or to his or her attorney for the purpose of negotiation or discussion on such matters as settlement of the case or matter, or discovery proceedings.
E. To a Federal, State, tribal or local government agency to assist such agencies in collecting the repayment or recovery of loans, benefits, grants, fines, bonds, civil penalties, judgments or other debts owed to them or to the United States Government, and/or to obtain information that may assist DHS in collecting debts owed to the United States government.
F. To the news media and the public when there exists a legitimate public interest in the disclosure of the information or when disclosure is necessary to preserve confidence in the integrity of the Department or is necessary to demonstrate the accountability of the Department's officers, employees, or individuals covered by the system, except to the extent it is determined that release of the specific information in the context of a particular case would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
G. To a Member of Congress, or staff acting upon the Member's behalf when the Member or staff requests the information on behalf of and at the request of the individual who is the subject of the record.
H. To the General Services Administration (GSA) and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in records management inspections conducted under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.
I. To contractors, grantees, experts, consultants, students, and others performing or working on a contract, service, grant, cooperative agreement, or other assignment for the Federal Government, when necessary to accomplish an agency function related to this system of records.
J. To a former employee of the Department for purposes of: responding to an official inquiry by a federal, state, or local government entity or professional licensing authority, in accordance with applicable department regulations; or facilitating communications with a former employee that may be necessary for personnel-related or other official purposes where the Department requires information and/or consultation assistance from the former employee regarding a matter within that person's former area of responsibility.
Information can be stored in case file folders, cabinets, safes, or a variety of electronic or computer databases and storage media.
Records may be retrieved by name; identification numbers (including but not limited to alien number, fingerprint identification number, etc.); case related data and/or combination of other personal identifiers such as date of birth, nationality, etc.
The system is protected through multi-layer security mechanisms. The protective strategies are physical, technical, administrative and environmental in nature and provide access control to sensitive data, physical access control to DHS facilities, confidentiality of communications, authentication of sending parties, and personnel screening to ensure that all personnel with access to data are screened through background investigations commensurate with the level of access required to perform their duties.
The following proposal for retention and disposal is pending approval with NARA:
Records that are stored in an individual's file will be purged according to the retention and disposition guidelines that relate to the individuals file (DHS/ICE/BCIS–001A). Electronic records for which the statute of limitations has expired for all criminal violations and that are older than 75 years will be purged. Fingerprint cards, created for the purpose of entering records in the database, will be destroyed after data entry. The I–877, and copies of supporting documentation, which are created for the purpose of special alien registration back-up procedures, will be destroyed after data entry. Work Measurement Reports and Statistical Reports will be maintained within the guidelines set forth in NCI–95–78–5/2 and NCI–85–78–1/2 respectively. Finally, user manuals are retained for the life of the system or until changes are made to the system, which ever comes first, and then destroyed.
Program Manager, ENFORCE/IDENT Program Management Office, 1616 North Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, VA 22209.
Inquiries should be addressed to the FOIA/PA officer at the office where the record is maintained or to the Chief, Information Disclosure Mission Support, Office of Investigations at 425 I Street, NW, Washington, DC 20536.
Comments to the Department's Privacy Office should include the notice number as the subject line of email or letter and be addressed to
The major part of this system is exempted from this requirement pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (j)(2) and (k)(2). To the extent that this system of records is not subject to exemption, it is subject to access. A determination as to the granting or denial of access shall be made at the time a request is received. Requests for access to records in this system must be in writing, and should be addressed to the System Manager noted above or to the appropriate FOIA/PA Officer. Such request may be submitted either by mail or in person. The envelope and letter shall be clearly marked “Privacy Access Request.” To identify a record, the record subject should provide his or her full name, date and place of birth; if appropriate, the date and place of entry into or
The major part of this system is exempted from this requirement pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (j)(2) and (k)(2). To the extent that this system of records is not subject to exemption, it is subject to access and contest. A determination as to the granting or denial of a request shall be made at the time a request is received. An individual desiring to request amendment of records maintained in this system should direct his or her request to the System Manager of the appropriate office that maintains the record or (if unknown) to the appropriate FOIA/PA Officer at each bureau. The request should state clearly what information is being contested, the reasons for contesting it, and the proposed amendment to the information.
Basic information contained in this system is supplied by individuals covered by this system, and other Federal, state, local, tribal, or foreign governments; private citizens, public and private organizations.
The Secretary of Homeland Security has exempted this system from subsections (c)(3) and (4), (d), (e)(1), (2), and (3), (e)(4)(G) and (H), (e)(5) and (8), and (g) of the Privacy Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (j)(2). In addition, the Secretary of Homeland Security has exempted portions of this system from subsections (c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G) and (H) of the Privacy Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (k)(2). These exemptions apply only to the extent that records in the system are subject to exemption pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (j)(2) and (k)(2).