Notice2024-28819
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Request for Certification of Adult Victims of Human Trafficking
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 9, 2024
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentChildren and Families Administration
Abstract
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) is requesting a 3-year extension of the form: Request for Certification of Adult Victims of Human Trafficking (RFC) form (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #: 0970-0454, expiration April 30, 2025).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 236 (Monday, December 9, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 97622-97623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28819]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Request for
Certification of Adult Victims of Human Trafficking
AGENCY: Office on Trafficking in Persons, Administration for Children
and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office on
Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) is requesting a 3-year extension of the
form: Request for Certification of Adult Victims of Human Trafficking
(RFC) form (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #: 0970-0454,
expiration April 30, 2025).
DATES: Comments due February 7, 2025. In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting
public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection
described above.
ADDRESSES: You can obtain copies of the proposed collection of
information and submit comments by emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6801060e070b0704040d0b1c01070628090b0e4600001b460f071e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="335a5d555c505c5f5f5650475a5c5d735250551d5b5b401d545c45">[email protected]</span></a>.
All requests should be identified by the title of the information
collection.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
provides letters of certification to victims of severe forms of
trafficking in persons under the authority of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), as amended 22 U.S.C. 7105(b)(1)(C) and
(E). HHS delegated this authority to OTIP. Certification is required
for foreign national adult victims of human trafficking in the U.S. to
apply for federally funded benefits and services.
OTIP developed the RFC form for potential victims and their
advocates, including case managers, attorneys, law enforcement
officers, service providers, and other representatives to provide the
required information for certification to HHS in accordance with the
TVPA of 2000, as amended.
Since the RFC form originally received clearance, OTIP modernized
its request process and launched Shepherd, an online case management
system, to process requests for certification and assistance. The PDF
version of the form should only be used in exceptional circumstances
when the online case management system is inaccessible. If a requester
encounters issues submitting a request through Shepherd, they may
submit the RFC form to OTIP as a password protected PDF to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b0e4c2d1d6d6d9d3dbd9ded7f0d1d3d69ed8d8c39ed7dfc6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e9bd9b888f8f808a8280878ea9888a8fc781819ac78e869f">[email protected]</span></a>.
The form asks the requester for their identifying information,
identifying information for the individual who experienced trafficking
victimization in the event the form is submitted by a case manager, and
information describing the victim's case management service needs.
Respondents: Potential victims of a severe form of trafficking in
persons and their advocates, including case managers, attorneys, law
enforcement officers, service providers, and other representatives.
Annual Burden Estimates
The fluctuation in certification letters issued by HHS primarily
reflects changing patterns in law enforcement investigations and the
number of T visas and Continued Presence status issued by the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In April 2024, DHS U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a (89 FR 34864)
updating regulations that govern the requirements and procedures for
foreign nationals who have experienced human trafficking seeking a T
visa and eligible family members seeking derivative T-2 nonimmigrant
status (T visa derivative). The Final Rule established a process for
USCIS to conduct bona fide determinations (BFDs). Principal applicants
who have submitted a complete bona fide T visa application will receive
a BFD and are eligible for case management services and for benefits
and services to the same extent as refugees through HHS Certification
while their application is pending. OTIP anticipates that the USCIS
Final Rule will significantly increase the number of requests for
certification received. Since the Final Rule went into effect, OTIP has
received approximately 100 RFCs per week, whereas historically, OTIP
received approximately 8 to 12 RFCs per week. Burden estimates for this
collection have been revised, accordingly.
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Total number of Average burden
Instrument Total number of responses per hours per Total burden Annual burden
respondents respondent response hours hours
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Request for Certification of Adult Victims of Human Trafficking.... 15,600 1 1 15,600 5,200
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Comments: The Department specifically requests comments on (a)
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether
the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted
within 60 days of this publication.
[[Page 97623]]
Authority: 22 U.S.C. 7105.
Mary C. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-28819 Filed 12-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-47-P
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