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Notice2026-18622

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection eComments Requested; Revision and Extension of a Previously Approved Collection; Certification and Release of Records (Form EOIR-59)

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
September 11, 2026

Issuing agencies

Justice Department

Abstract

The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) at the Department of Justice (DOJ) will be submitting the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 175 (Friday, September 11, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 175 (Friday, September 11, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57930-57931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18622]



[[Page 57930]]

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[OMB Number 1125-0017]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection 
eComments Requested; Revision and Extension of a Previously Approved 
Collection; Certification and Release of Records (Form EOIR-59)

AGENCY: Executive Office for Immigration Review, Department of Justice.

ACTION: 30-day notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) at the 
Department of Justice (DOJ) will be submitting the following 
information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 30 days until 
October 13, 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have comments especially on the 
estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or 
need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with 
instructions or additional information, please contact: Justine Fuga, 
Associate General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, Executive 
Office for Immigration Review, 5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2600, Falls 
Church, VA 22041, telephone: (703) 305- 0265, 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f5909a9c87db858794db969a9898909b8186b58086919a9fdb929a83"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ceaba1a7bce0bebcafe0ada1a3a3aba0babd8ebbbdaaa1a4e0a9a1b8">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation

    Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are 
encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following 
four points:

-- 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;
-- 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;
-- Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and/or
-- 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.

    Written comments and recommendations for this information 
collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of 
this notice on the following website <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. 
Find this particular information collection by selecting ``Currently 
under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search 
function and entering either the title of the information collection or 
the OMB Control Number 1125-0017. This information collection request 
(``ICR'') may be viewed at <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov">www.reginfo.gov</a>. Follow the instructions to 
view Department of Justice information collections currently under 
review by OMB. Please submit a copy of your comments to Justine Fuga at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a7c2c8ced589d7d5c689c4c8cacac2c9d3d4e7d2d4c3c8cd89c0c8d1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="680d07011a46181a09460b0705050d061c1b281d1b0c0702460f071e">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

II. Overview of This Information Collection

    DOJ seeks PRA authorization for this information collection for 
three (3) years. OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than 
three (3) years without renewal. The DOJ notes that ICRs submitted to 
the OMB for existing ICRs receive a month-to-month extension while they 
undergo review.
    Overview of this information collection:
    1. Type of Information Collection: Revision and extension of a 
previously approved collection.
    2. Title of the Form/Collection: Certification and Release of 
Records.
    3. Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
Department of Justice sponsoring the collection: The agency form number 
is EOIR-59, and EOIR is the sponsoring component.
    4. Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract:
    Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Abstract: This information collection is primarily used by EOIR to 
standardize and streamline requests for records related to cases or 
proceedings before EOIR pursuant to the Privacy Act and Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA). An individual who is in or has been in 
proceedings before EOIR and seeks to authorize the disclosure of their 
information, including information retained in case files or a Record 
of Proceeding (documents, and if applicable, audio recordings), to an 
attorney, accredited representative, qualified organization, or other 
third party may use this form to authorize the disclosure. EOIR is 
making one substantive change to Part C to include a field to collect 
the name of the parent or guardian. The printed name of the parent or 
guardian in Part C will assist EOIR personnel processing the form to 
verify the parent or guardian's identity, as the name of the parent or 
guardian is not always legible in the signature field in Part D. EOIR 
also is making several non-substantive edits to the form instructions 
to improve clarity and readability, update links to EOIR web pages 
referenced in the instructions, and update the Privacy Act Statement. 
EOIR also removed references to ``noncitizen'' in form fields and 
headings.
    5. Obligation to Respond: Optional and voluntary.
    6. Total Estimated Number of Respondents: It is estimated that an 
average of 87,080 respondents will complete the form annually.
    7. Estimated Time per Respondent: The estimated time per respondent 
is 10 minutes per response (0.17 hours per response.
    8. Frequency: Once per year.
    9. Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: EOIR estimates an average of 
14,804 hours total annual time burden for form respondents.

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                                   Number of       Frequency     Total annual       Time per       Total annual
           Activity               respondents     (annually)       responses        response      burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EOIR-59.......................          87,080               1          87,080  10 minutes (0.17          14,804
                                                                                 hours).
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    10. Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: The total estimated 
annual public cost ranges from $0 to $1,264,298.88. The minimum cost 
burden is $0. There are no capital or start-up costs or filing fees, 
and printing and postage costs may be avoided by submitting the form 
electronically. The maximum cost burden is $1,264,298.88.

[[Page 57931]]

This amount is reached by totaling the maximum printing, postage, and 
labor costs that may be incurred. Of the total number of responses 
received annually, 8,537 responses on average are submitted by mail and 
incur printing and postage costs. Printing costs are estimated at $0.10 
per page. Postage costs are estimated at $0.78 per response. If a 
respondent retains a practitioner to assist with completing the form, 
labor costs are estimated at $84.84 per hour, or $14.42 per response, 
which represents the average wage for an attorney as reported by the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Cost                    Calculation             Total
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Printing......................  $0.10 per page x 2             $1,707.40
                                 pages x 8,537 mailed
                                 paper submissions
                                 annually.
Postage.......................  $0.78 stamp x 8,537             6,658.86
                                 mailed paper
                                 submissions annually.
Labor.........................  ($84.84 per hour x          1,255,932.62
                                 0.17 hours) x 87,080
                                 average annual
                                 number of responses.
                                                      ------------------
    Total.....................  $1,707.40 + $6,658.86       1,264,298.88
                                 + $1,255,932.62.
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    If additional information is required, contact: Darwin Arceo, 
Department Clearance Officer, Enterprise Portfolio Management, Justice 
Management Division, United States Department of Justice, Two 
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 4W-218 Washington, DC 20530.

    Dated: September 9, 2026.
Darwin Arceo,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2026-18622 Filed 9-10-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-30-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on September 11, 2026.

This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.