[Federal Register: March 10, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 46)]
[Notices]               
[Page 11986]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10mr05-88]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

 
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Title: Information Collections Related to Reunification Procedures 
for Unaccompanied Alien Children.
    OMB No.: New collection.
    Description: Following the passage of the 2002 Homeland Security 
Act (Pub. L. 107-296), the Administration for Children and Families 
(ACF), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), is charged with the care 
and placement of unaccompanied alien children in Federal custody, and 
implementing a policy for the release of these children, when 
appropriate, upon the request of suitable sponsors while awaiting 
immigration proceedings. In order for ORR to make determinations 
regarding the release of these children, the potential sponsors must 
meet certain conditions pursuant to section 462 of the Homeland 
Security Act and the Flores v. Reno Settlement Agreement No. CV85-4544-
RJK (C.D. Cal. 1997). ORR considers the suitability of a sponsor based 
on the sponsor's ability and agreement to provide for the physical, 
mental and financial well-being of an unaccompanied minor and assurance 
to appear before immigration courts. To ensure the safety of the 
children, sponsors must undergo a background check. Suitable sponsors 
may be parents, close relatives, friends or entities concerned with the 
child's welfare. In this Notice, ACF announces that it proposes to 
employ the use of several information collections for recording: (1) 
The Sponsor's Agreement to Conditions of Release, which collects the 
sponsor's affirmation to the terms of the release; (2) the Verification 
of Release, which collects the children's affirmation to the terms of 
their release; (3) the Family Reunification Packet, which collects 
information related to the sponsor's ability to provide for the 
physical, mental and financial well-being of the child(ren) and (4) the 
Authorization for Release of Information, which collects information to 
be utilized for a background check.
    Respondents: Potential sponsors of unaccompanied alien children and 
unaccompanied alien children in Federal custody.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of        Average
                   Instrument                        Number of     responses per   burden hours    Total  burden
                                                    respondents     respondent     per response        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sponsor's Agreement.............................           3,000               1         .166666             500
Verification of Release.........................           3,000               1         .166666             500
Family Reunification Packet.....................           3,000              20         .05               3,000
Authorization for Release of Information........           3,000              12         .05               1,800
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,800.
    Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collections may be 
obtained by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, 
Office of Administration, Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance 
Officer. All requests should be identified by the title of the 
information collection. E-mail address: grjohnsno@acf.hhs.gov.
    OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning the 
collection of information between 30 and 60 days after the publication 
of this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best 
assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collections should be sent directly to the following: 
Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Attn: 
Desk Officer for ACF. E-mail address: Katherine T. Astrich@omb.eop.gov.

    Dated: March 4, 2005.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-4692 Filed 3-9-05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4184-01-M