Agency Information Collection Activities; New Collection: Sponsor Deeming and Agency Reimbursement

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 (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 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.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until February 18, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

All submissions received must include the OMB Control Number 1615-NEW in the body of the letter, the agency name and Docket ID USCIS-2019-0026. To avoid duplicate submissions, please use only one of the following methods to submit comments:

(1) Online. Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal website at http://www.regulations.gov under e-Docket ID number USCIS-2019-0026;

(2) Mail. Submit written comments to DHS, USCIS, Office of Policy and Strategy, Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

USCIS, Office of Policy and Strategy, Regulatory Coordination Division, Samantha Deshommes, Chief, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140, telephone number 202-272-8377 (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 http://www.uscis.gov,, or call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Collection of Information

This information collection allows federal means-tested public benefit agencies who are registered to use the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, and who confirm the immigration status of certain persons applying for specified licenses and benefits using sponsorship data, to provide information regarding use of sponsorship data in deeming and reimbursement processes. The purpose for collecting this information is to support Federal means-tested benefit granting agencies in the administration and oversight of their respective benefit programs as they relate to deeming and reimbursement processes in order to better monitor system and information use, and perform actions to ensure compliance regarding SAVE program rules, federal sponsorship requirements, and deeming and reimbursement obligations.

Comments

You may access the information collection instrument with instructions, or additional information by visiting the Federal eRulemaking Portal site at: http://www.regulations.gov and enter USCIS-2019-0026 in the search box. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://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 http://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.

Overview of This Information Collection

(1) Type of Information Collection: New Collection.

(2) Title of the Form/Collection: Sponsor Deeming and Agency Reimbursement.

(3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the DHS sponsoring the collection: G-1552; USCIS.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: Primary: Federal Government; or State or local Government. The G-1552 is created to collect information via the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program regarding actions that agencies adjudicating federal means-tested public benefits take to (1) deem sponsor income as part of applicant income for purposes of federal means-tested benefits eligibility and (2) seek reimbursement from sponsors for the value of federal means-tested public benefits provided to sponsored applicants.

(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 G-1552 is 324,737 and the estimated hour burden per response is 0.042 hours.

(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 13,639 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.