NonSub Change - Add AHP option to URM Program Application

To: Jordan Cohen

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Anne Mullooly

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: October 15, 2021

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program Application, and Withdrawal of Application or Declination of Placement Form (OMB #0970-0550); Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program: ORR-3 Placement Report and ORR-4 Outcomes Report (OMB #0970-0034)

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to the approved information collections:

1. Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program Application, and Withdrawal of Application or Declination of Placement Form (OMB #0970-0550); and

2. Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program: ORR-3 Placement Report and ORR-4 Outcomes Report (OMB #0970-0034).

Background

The House and Senate passed the continuing resolution (CR) in late September 2021. For the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), the CR authorizes the eligibility of Afghan parolees to receive services and benefits to the same extent as refugees. This includes making Afghan unaccompanied children eligible for the URM Program. Current OMB approved forms for the URM program have already been collecting immigration status/category and eligibility types for eligible minors. There is no existing option available to accurately capture the newly authorized immigration status/category or eligibility type for Afghan unaccompanied children. ORR is requesting to add the “Afghan Humanitarian Parolee” option to the existing list of Eligibility Type and Immigration Status/Category of the OMB approved forms for URM program.

Overview of Requested Changes

ORR is requesting to make the following nonsubstantive changes:

1. URM Program Application Form (0970-0550). This form is completed on behalf of unaccompanied children in the United States who are applying for entry into the URM Program. Under the section for Eligibility Type and Verification Documents (Section 3), ORR requests to add “Afghan Humanitarian Parolee” and “Other” as Eligibility Types and required verification documents for AHP under “Verification Document(s)”. The “Other” category was added for consistency with the ORR-3 form.

2. ORR-3 Placement Report (0970-0034): This report is completed within 30 days of the minor’s initial placement in the state, within 60 days of a change in the minor’s status, and within 60 days of the termination from the program. In the ORR-3 Form, ORR requests to add “Afghan Humanitarian Parolee” as an option under the existing sections: “Eligibility Type” (Section II) and “Immigration” (Section III). The instructions have been updated to reflect the inclusion of Afghan Humanitarian Parolees in the form and to improve clarity of instructions. Updates include:

   1. A new reference to Policy Letter 22-01 on “Afghan Humanitarian Parolees and Unaccompanied Afghan Minors Eligible for ORR Benefits and Services”.

   2. Addition of two more examples of eligibility date under the existing section “Eligibility Date”.

   3. A change from “juvenile status” to “juvenile classification”, which is a more accurate term.

Time Sensitivities

Unaccompanied Afghan minors became newly eligible for the URM Program starting October 1, 2021, following the passage of the CR. ORR has already begun receiving URM applications for unaccompanied Afghan minors. Without a timely approval on adding this newly authorized eligibility type and immigration status/category for the unaccompanied Afghan minor to both forms, ORR is unable to ensure accurate data collection and reporting on services provided to the unaccompanied Afghan minors.