Public Health Determination Regarding an Exception for Unaccompanied Noncitizen Children From the Order Suspending the Right To Introduce Certain Persons From Countries Where a Quarantinable Communicable Disease Exists

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces an Order excepting unaccompanied noncitizen children (UC) from the Order Suspending the Right to Introduce Certain Persons from Countries Where a Quarantinable Communicable Disease Exists, issued on October 13, 2020 (October Order). CDC finds that, at this time, there is appropriate infrastructure in place to protect the children, caregivers, and local communities from elevated risk of COVID-19 transmission as a result of the introduction of UC, and U.S. healthcare resources are not significantly impacted by providing UC necessary care. CDC believes the COVID-19-related public health concerns associated with UC introduction can be adequately addressed without the UC being subject to the October Order, thereby permitting the government to better address the humanitarian challenges for these children. Therefore, CDC is fully excepting UC from the October Order, and the Notice regarding the temporary exception of UC published February 17, 2021 is hereby superseded.